Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1938, Page 172

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Masseurs.
Some masseurs and more often masseuses have been authorised to
practice and have settled in the largest towns, chiefly in Reykjavík. The
number of masseurs practising independently in Reykjavík is steadily
decreasing as doctors, who are specialists in physio-therapeutics, have
clinics almost without cxception recommended to their patients by
private practitioners. These specialists have in their service a number
of masseurs (masseuses). The masseurs are also included in the tariffs
of fees enforced by the authorities.
III. Training of Doctors and other Sanitary Officers.
The Medical Faculty of the University.
It was not until 1876 that a medical school Mras founded in Iceland.
Until then the Icelanders had to obtain their university training in
medicine abroad which was the cause of the continual shortage of
qualified doctors in the country. When the University was founded
in 1911 the'Medical School was joined to it and became a department
of the University. This faculty has always had more students than any
other faculty, and at present it is attended by 60—70 students every
year. The medical courses are for 6 years and it is not far wrong to
say that about 10 candidates qualify every year. Instead of the former
general fear of shortage of doctors some anxiety is now experienced
because of over-production of medically trained people. The Icelandic
faculty of medicine, indeed, is short of both the facilities and staff for
scientific research work and can therefore in that respect not stand
comparison with foreign medical schools. Rut it must be considered
to fulfil satisfactorily its task of training able doctors for general medi-
cal practice, enjoying one great advantage, that is the small number
of students which enables the teachers to come into closer personal
touch with each one of them, and gives the students an opportunity
to take part in and keep well abreast of the practical work. The State
Hospital is at the same time the University hospital where the stu-
dents get their practical training, besides having opportunities to at-
tend the various special hospitals (tuberculosis sanatorium, lunatic
asylum, leper hospital) and get acquainted with the work there. On
qualifying before they can obtain permission to set up practice inde-
pendently, they have to act for a year as internes in good recognised
hospitals either in Iceland or abroad. The State Hospital is the one most
sought after for this purpose, but as only few graduates can get in
there, and as there are hardly any other acceptable hospitals in this
country, manv of them have to go abroad, especially to Denmark. Be-
sides most young doctors do consider it their duly to go abroad before
settling down in practice, for a longer or shorter time for advanced
study in larger hospitals in Scandinavia or in Germany, and formerly
also to Austria. Those who want to specialise in branches of medicine
other than internal medicine, surgery, radiology and pulmonary tuber-