Healthcare Nidwalden now offers practice assistants in pediatric practices

The canton of Nidwalden is now offering a six-month internship in pediatric practices for future doctors. The canton wants to make the profession of pediatrician more attractive, as the Nidwalden State Chancellery announced on Tuesday.

According to the State Chancellery, the internship is intended to last six months and help to attract more young people to the pediatric profession. This is because not only general practitioners, but increasingly also pediatricians are finding it difficult to find successors.

The canton has concluded a framework agreement with the Lucerne Cantonal Hospital for the training of pediatricians, which comes into force on October 1. Among other things, it regulates the duration of the assistantship, salary and insurance.

According to Peter Truttmann (GLP), Nidwalden's Director of Health and Social Affairs, the model of practice assistance could be used to tackle upcoming challenges in pediatric practices, which are dependent on new recruits, together and across regions.

According to the press release, the cantons of Lucerne and Uri are also familiar with the principle of practice assistance. This has proven successful in these cantons, it said.