All State-Funded Medical University Places May Soon Be Designated as Targeted Assignments
The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation has put forward a legislative proposal aiming to transform all state-funded positions within primary higher medical education programs into «targeted» placements. This initiative would require students to fulfill specific work obligations after graduation. Should a student refuse this mandatory service, the ministry intends to impose a compensation payment equivalent to three times the total cost of their education. These significant amendments are outlined in a draft law currently under development by the ministry.
Under the proposed terms, any breach of the targeted agreement would obligate the student to repay the full amount invested in their training, in addition to a penalty twice the size of that compensation. The ministry`s press service has confirmed that graduates from secondary vocational medical education programs would be subject to identical conditions.
Upon the successful completion of their studies, students engaged in targeted agreements would only be permitted to decline their mandatory service if they enter into another targeted contract with the original commissioning party. Typically, regional health ministries or specific medical organizations serve as these commissioning entities. Furthermore, the Ministry of Health proposes a new requirement for all graduates of medical and pharmaceutical programs: a mandatory three-year period of work under the direct supervision of a mentor.
According to findings reported by Kommersant, the Ministry of Health`s draft law, which introduces a compulsory three-year service term for students graduating from medical colleges and universities, had accumulated over a thousand negative responses by late July. Students, university alumni, and medical professionals alike argue that this proposal infringes upon established labor legislation and the Constitution, restricts fundamental civil rights and freedoms, and effectively institutes a mechanism for the «forced conclusion of targeted training agreements.»
