Next month marks two years since one of the toughest periods a family has faced as their child began school at age three. The journey through Baccalaureate and enrollment revealed a strong desire to study medicine. The student, widely regarded as exemplary, faced a pivotal moment when Selectividad followed the first entrance exam at a private university, setting the public option against a daunting courtroom of competition. Optimism prevailed, and it seemed possible to reach the UMH with its Medical campus just ten minutes from home.
Yet the reality proved harsher. A stumble in the Selectividad left a final score of 12 out of 14, while the university cutoff leaned higher than that. The student paused at the state university gate. Private options rose in appeal, kept in reserve at home as a contingency. Within a week, horizons narrowed, and the family felt blocked, but a colleague’s timely intervention, solid track record, and an outstanding interview helped secure a Nursing place at Cardenal Herrera. It wasn’t planned, but the motivation to persevere grew stronger each day. Fate can surprise in unexpected ways.
Sharing this story is not just about personal odds. It mirrors the stress many Alicante families face each year when choosing university paths in Spain. Among 75 solid health science candidates, the news in the final years of Baccalaureate for the 2023-2024 academic year is hopeful: Medicine can be pursued at the University of Alicante. The Miguel Hernández University School of Medicine has been training generations of doctors since 1996, evolving beyond political fashions. As populations age, doctors are increasingly needed, and retirement will steadily open vacancies. The central question remains: why oppose any medical education project in Alicante, regardless of the political climate?
Detractors point to the high costs of medical facilities, while supporters argue that significant investments are essential to recruit well-paid professionals who won’t be drawn abroad by better wages elsewhere. A practical concern is ensuring that a gynecologist in a public system does not tell a pregnant patient to wait indefinitely while care is coordinated with private providers. Delays in scheduling specialists remain a reality in some provinces, underscoring the need for robust public capacity and timely access.
Too many doctors or too few? The answer should be simple, yet official statistics present a nuanced picture. Spain averages 3.9 doctors per thousand people in public care, slightly above the OECD norm of 3.4, but gaps exist between dropout rates and MIR placements. Some professionals seek opportunities abroad, while insiders warn that Spain still does not fully track how many doctors exist in each specialty or where they work. These data gaps complicate planning and workforce management.
Is it prudent to limit new graduates through MIR quotas or to raise intake numbers? Can a profession be prosperous when doctors cannot practice in popular summer tourist hubs? The obligation to address Spain as a whole—and Alicante in particular—remains clear. A coordinated approach is needed to ensure healthcare workers, from doctors to nurses, are fairly compensated. It matters that physicians can serve communities without facing ongoing temporary contracts and stagnant wages that push talent to other European countries. The aim is to support professionals who save lives when most needed.
The data leaves little doubt: more than half of doctors in the Valencian Community’s public system will be under 50 in the near future, and roughly 22.1% will be over sixty, signaling a wave of retirements looming in the coming years. Ximo Puig identified 2027 as a pivotal year for this generational shift, a point borne out by demographic trends and workforce projections. These realities demand urgent action to maintain capacity and continuity in care.
Critics of expanding medical faculties argue that the true issue is insufficient training slots for MIR specialists. The counterargument is straightforward: if there is capacity to grow, it should be expanded, preventing bottlenecks that block capable graduates from entering specialized training. The San Vicente campus already demonstrates capability, and if the public system can accommodate more places without compromising quality, expansion should proceed. The overarching objective is to ensure that qualified doctors can treat large patient loads without compromising care—today and tomorrow.
Source attribution: Valencian Community Health Data; Andalusian and Catalan benchmarks offer comparative context. Translational insights come from health service administrators and union reports. This reflects a shared national priority to strengthen medical education, training, and workforce planning for the long term.