On March 17, Ukraine held its first-ever ranked medical residency placement using an electronic system. The participants included 20 graduates from four higher education institutions specializing in ‘Medical Diagnostics and Treatment Technologies’: Zaporizhzhia State Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Kharkiv National Medical University, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and Bogomolets National Medical University.

The placement was for the ‘Laboratory Diagnostics, Virology, Microbiology’ medical residency specialty. As a result, all graduates will study in healthcare facilities they selected and indicated in their applications.

«Electronic medical residency placement helps make the process more transparent. Additionally, the system eliminates interference in the placement process. It’s also integrated with the unified portal of vacancies in healthcare institutions, ensuring future doctors complete their practical training where their assistance is genuinely needed», emphasized Mariia Karchevych, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine for Digital Development.

Medical residency placement is conducted in two stages. The first stage reviews applications from graduates with the highest ranking scores. Upon approval, they receive a medical placement referral, offering a place in their desired higher education or healthcare institution.

The second stage reviews applications not approved in the first stage. In such cases, with the graduate’s consent, the system generates offers as close as possible to those listed in their applications. The system then proposes a medical residency placement location, which can be accepted or declined.

Now, graduates placed through the e-system will generate medical residency placement referrals in their personal accounts and submit documents for enrollment.

«The introduction of electronic medical residency placement is another step towards the digital transformation of medical education and healthcare. We are creating a system that ensures transparency, fairness, and efficiency in decision-making. EGAP Program, in collaboration with partners, supports such solutions to simplify and make processes more accessible for Ukrainians», noted Victor Liakh, East Europe Foundation President.

The electronic medical residency placement system was created on the Diia.Engine Platform in partnership with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine within EGAP Program implemented by East Europe Foundation with Swiss government support.