The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, today congratulated the 71 intern doctors who are beginning their general and specific training this month in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, strengthening the training and care capacity of the Regional Health Service.

In 2026, 40 doctors will attend the general training year, distributed among the three hospitals in the Region, with a stint also at the Island Health Units.

With regard to specific training, 31 doctors were placed in the Region, distributed among the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo (17), Hospital de Santo Espírito da Ilha Terceira (two), Health Unit of the Island of São Miguel (10), and Health Unit of the Island of Terceira (two). It is noteworthy that, for the first time, HSEIT is receiving interns in the specialties of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Pediatrics, and HDES is welcoming its first intern in Emergency Medicine.

For the Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, strengthening medical training in the region is part of a broader strategy to enhance the Regional Health Service.

“This is the path we have chosen, combining the opportunities provided by the Recovery and Resilience Plan, which will enable the Regional Health Service to modernize, differentiate itself, and become more competitive and attractive for retaining health professionals,” emphasizes Mónica Seidi.

Mónica Seidi acknowledges that the Autonomous Region of the Azores faces a strategic challenge in the need to strengthen and stabilize, in a sustainable manner, the number of doctors in the RHS.

“Attracting doctors to the Region is a priority that requires a joint and coordinated effort involving the Regional Government, the Government of the Republic, educational institutions, professional associations, and social partners,” says the minister.

The Government of the Azores thus reaffirms its commitment to continue investing in public policies that promote the valorization of health professionals, institutional dialogue, and the construction of lasting solutions for the future of the Regional Health Service. The minister recalled some of the measures currently in force in the Region that aim to attract and retain human resources: a differentiated increase in the salaries of doctors on islands without hospitals and even the fact that the Region offers a tax reduction on direct taxes (income tax and VAT).

Finally, the Regional Secretary left a message for doctors who are now beginning their internship in the Azores, highlighting the importance of their choice, since “choosing the Region represents not only the beginning of a demanding professional career, but also a decisive contribution to the future health of the Azoreans.”

From Press Release

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.