Following the adoption of parliamentary motions aimed at safeguarding medical care in Switzerland, swissuniversities has published a background report on medical studies. In the report, executive boards recommend a new Special Programme to further increase training capacity. They also call for the further development and harmonisation of admission procedures.
Following the adoption of the Roduit (23.3293) and Hurni (23.3854) motions, the Swiss Conference of Higher Education Institutions (SHK) commissioned the Chamber of Universities (UH) of swissuniversities – comprising the rectors of Swiss universities as well as the President of EPFL and the President of ETH Zurich – to draw up a background report on their implementation. swissuniversities subsequently commissioned University Medicine Zurich, under the leadership of its Director, Prof. Dr Beatrice Beck Schimmer, to draft a corresponding background report, involving all higher education institutions that provide medical training. At its meeting on 26 June 2026, the Chamber of Universities approved the report.
Increasing educational capacity
Over the past decade, universities have already significantly increased their educational capacities in human medicine. Thanks to the measures implemented as part of the Special Programme for Human Medicine 2017–2020, the number of Master’s degrees awarded rose from 882 in 2016 to 1,381 in 2024, thereby even exceeding the target of 1,300 degrees per year. The Special Programme can therefore be regarded as a success.
Nevertheless, it is clear that a further increase in the number of graduates is necessary to ensure long-term medical care and reduce dependence on other countries. The executive boards are therefore in favour of launching a new Special Programme, whilst emphasising that, in addition to such initial funding, long-term political and financial support from the federal government and the cantons must also be guaranteed.
The biggest bottleneck for expanding educational capacity in human medicine lies in the available clinical training places. Expansion therefore requires the mobilisation of all healthcare sectors for training – inpatient and outpatient, public and private – as well as regional and national coordination.
Harmonisation and further development of admission procedures
The number of applicants for medical studies far exceeds the educational capacity at universities and in clinical training centres. A capacity-based selection procedure therefore remains absolutely essential. The selection methods currently in use – the Medical Studies Aptitude Test (EMS) and the “Concours” at the end of the first year of study – demonstrate good predictive power for suitability for medical studies. However, non-cognitive elements such as communication and interpersonal skills, which are also very important for a successful medical career, are not assessed. Executive boards therefore advocate the introduction of a multidimensional, Switzerland-wide harmonised pre-degree selection process.
Further development of curricula and additional supporting measures
To ensure the quality of medical education in the future, degree programmes must be further developed and additional supporting measures implemented. Digital teaching formats and simulation-based learning can usefully complement clinical training. Furthermore, non-cognitive competences that are crucial to the profession should be embedded in the curriculum from the first year of study and also taken into account in examinations. It is also important to improve the transition from medical studies to medical practice and to give greater recognition to the work of clinical trainers. Finally, investment in university infrastructure is required to cope with rising student numbers.
Strengthening primary care
Primary care in Switzerland already has gaps today, which are set to widen in the coming years. The relevant faculties have made great efforts in recent years to strengthen general practice. The report recommends continuing these efforts and, in addition to general practice, giving greater consideration to the fields of paediatrics, psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry. Furthermore, the academic anchoring of these disciplines should be promoted. However, more far-reaching measures are required to ensure a sustainable impact, particularly in postgraduate training and working conditions.
Next steps
swissuniversities welcomes the constructive cooperation of all those involved in the preparation of this report. It will now be submitted to the Swiss Conference of Higher Education Institutions (SHK) as a basis for decision-making regarding further work.
Find the full report here (German).