Bogotá D.C., March 25, 2022. The Compulsory Social Service (SSO) is more than a requirement; it is an opportunity for students at the Schools of Medicine to exercise their profession and lend their knowledge and learning for the benefit of the country's public health.
Therefore, Kattya Margarita Baquero, director of Health Workforce Development, pointed out that the Ministry of Health and Social Protection is making "a call to medical students and professionals to consider the compulsory social service as the fulfillment of a legal duty."
She added, that "the planning of the physician's professional and academic future must include the option of undertaking a residency in Colombia, which implies having defined their situation in relation to SSO."
The higher education institutions, and in particular the schools of medicine must take into account that, for admission to a medical-surgical specialty, the professionals must have defined their situation in relation to compulsory social service.
Likewise, the professional, in order to benefit from the monthly financial aid through the National System of Medical Residencies, must necessarily be a doctor with current authorization to practice the profession in Colombia.
Consequently, the SSO is an opportunity to carry out the vocation of being a doctor. "The practice of medicine enables the practice of altruism, understanding it as human beings' tendency to selflessly help others," Baquero said.
An expression of altruism
The SSO constitutes a relevant expression of solidarity and a cornerstone in the building of the Nation, of human growth and of territory-population integration. In the case of health, the philosophy lies in expanding health coverage and providing invaluable experience to newly graduated doctors.
For its part, the Colombian legislation determines that all professionals who graduate from health programs in a higher education institution in the country, duly authorized by the Ministry of National Education, must satisfy their SSO, for the careers in Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry and Bacteriology, in an authorized position once the degree has been achieved, that is to say at the end of the undergraduate studies, as is clear in article 33 of Law 1164, 2007.
In addition, Law 1917, 2018 has regulated the system of medical residences in Colombia, a rule that provides, in article 4, that "residents" are doctors with valid authorization to practice their profession in Colombia, which entails that medical professionals must meet three requirements: 1) Accredit a medical degree, 2) Have provided the compulsory social service and 3) be registered in the Single National Registry of Health Workforce (Rethus).
A commitment with remote territories
The SSO is also an opportunity for many municipalities in Colombia, especially the most remote, to have doctors and, therefore, health services for the population.
The official explained that when the professional, when assigned a slot to provide the compulsory social service, decides to resign, of his or her own free will, without there being a cause of force majeure or fortuitous event, "it affects the provision of the service, especially in the territories where the presence of a health professional is vital for the community."
It is necessary to clarify that the admission of a professional in a residency does not constitute grounds for exoneration to appear in the process of assigning a slot conducted by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, nor does it justify the waiver of the execution of the Compulsory Social Service that is underway.
"It cannot be forgotten that the general interest must prevail over the individual's interest in consideration of the social connotation and significance of the provision of health services throughout the national territory for the country," said the director.
"We invite interested parties to participate in the second process of assigning SSO slots that is about to take place, and to not forget that initial vocation that motivated them to study a profession in the health area," she pointed out.
