Medical internships (AT) in Sweden

1. Which EU and EEA countries does this apply to?

Countries where a medical internship is required after completion of the academic studies are: Cyprus, Denmark, Italy, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, and Slovenia.

2. This is how to proceed

When applying to perform a medical internship in Sweden, you will need to submit an application to perform a medical internship in Sweden.

The application consists of the following documents:

• an application form filled in with the relevant information (link)
• a copy of the details page of your valid passport or a copy of your valid Swedish ID card
• a copy of your university diploma.
• a copy of the appendix to the diploma showing the total duration and contents of the course of studies (e.g. Diploma Supplement or Transcript of Records).

Download and print out the application form

Application form for applying to perform a medical internship in Sweden (in Swedish)

Post your application to:

Socialstyrelsen
Behörighet
SE-106 30 Stockholm, Sweden

3. Medical Internship, this is how it proceeds

Once you have received your medical degree and before you can apply for a licence to practise as a doctor, you must do a medical internship (AT). The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare makes a decision allowing you to do a medical internship in Sweden. During your medical internship, you are employed as an intern with a private or governmental employer. If you work as a substitute, you are not able to include those hours in the calculation of your medical internship.

What happens after the National Board of Health and Welfare has reached a decision that you may do your medical internship in Sweden?

The decision entails that you may be employed as a doctor for a medical internship according to the Regulations of the National Board of Health and Welfare (HSLF-FS 2020:3) on special appointments to practise the medical profession for unlicensed doctors.

In the meantime while you are awaiting a medical internship block, you have the possibility to be hired on temporary appointments as an intern/junior doctor (underläkare) in the public healthcare. 

A minimum of eighteen months

During your medical internship, you must work a minimum of eighteen months. You may choose to perform your medical internship on a part-time basis however it must add up to a total of 18 months of full-time practise (i.e. thirty-six months at 50 % of full-time). You will need to work a minimum of

• nine months in internal medicine subspecialties and surgical subspecialties (a minimum of three months each)
• three months in the field of psychiatry
• six months in internal medicine (general practitioner).

Do a medical internship on a block appointment

You must complete your medical internship on a block appointment (blockförordnande) – a fixed-term contiguous employment of a minimum of eighteen months. If you change employers, you must obtain a new medical internship block, and your former employer must approve the sections you have already done in order for you to be able to include that time in the calculations of your medical internship.