The SEIMC rejects the inclusion of Microbiology and Parasitology in the trunk of laboratory and clinical diagnosis.

-La SEIMC believes that specializing in microbiology and Parasitology has very few points in common with the rest of the specialties that have been integrated into the trunk of laboratory

Madrid, 2011-September the Spanish society of infectious diseases and microbiology clinic (SEIMC), comprising the majority of clinical microbiologists and Spanish specialists in infectious diseases, has been expressing their opposition to the inclusion of the specialty of Microbiology and Parasitology in the so-called trunk of laboratory and clinical diagnosis ”, as established in the draft Royal Decree for the regulation of the criteria for core subjects in the formation of certain specialties. Therefore it has presented their arguments to the Ministry of health, Social Affairs and equal.

Microbiologists of the SEIMC specialists, homogenization of the common core training will imply that the knowledge and skills of the specialists are substantially minors in relation to the current model, and therefore the degree of complementarity among the members of the multidisciplinary teams is also lower.

For Álvaro Pascual, President of the SEIMC, the area of knowledge of Microbiology and Parasitology has no common or cross-cutting skills and has very few points in common with the other disciplines that have been integrated into the trunk of “laboratory diagnosis ”, doing well”little viable and efficient from the point of view of training, the Organization of this trunk ”.

The SEIMC, however clarifies, that this fact is not in opposition to the current management of the laboratory of clinical microbiology that occurs in some Spanish hospitals, and responds to a purely organizational matter. In the field of Microbiology and parasitology, the laboratory is simply a workspace, specialists in Microbiology have, moreover, an extralaboratorio functions dedicated to the clinical study of infection, the diagnostic and therapeutic guidance with public health implications which represent an important part in their formation.

Also, the SEIMC highlights that, despite the arguments put forward by the Ministry in the draft Royal Decree there is no consensus on the inclusion of this specialty in the trunk of laboratory and clinical diagnosis. In this sense, all the other actors involved, such as the National Committee of Microbiology and Parasitology – resigned from a year ago for this reason – responsible units teachers and residents in training have been always contrary to this new organization.

The society also exposes that the maintenance of the speciality of Microbiology and Parasitology out of the trunk of clinical laboratory would not have any economic consequence. On the other hand, this new organization of the specialty would mean the expansion of the training period to five years, which would lead to an increase of up to 30% of the total costs of training.

The existence of laboratories, as a single point in common between different specialties may not condition the Organization and its training programs ” adds Álvaro Pascual. The President of the SEIMC insists that only the areas of knowledge and competences are which should define the content and development of each specialty, needs care that each one of them should satisfy.

The SEIMC has set out its arguments to the Ministry and hoped to reconsider its decision, so that finally the speciality of Microbiology and Parasitology is not included in the trunk of laboratory and clinical diagnosis, shall be considered as another of non core specialties.

The SEIMC

The Spanish society of infectious diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC) is a scientific society that brings together professionals working in the field of Infectious Pathology, both from a clinical point of view the etiologic diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious processes.

The fundamental purpose of the SEIMC is the promote, encourage and disseminate the study and research of infectious diseases, clinical microbiology, in terms of epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control is concerned, as well as in their interrelations.

Currently with more than 2,360 partners, more than 1,500 correspond to the section of clinical microbiology and about 1,150 to infectious diseases.