A three-year mentorship awaits young Nizhny Novgorod doctors starting in 2026.

      November 12, 2025 09:23 Society

      Graduates of medical universities and colleges across Russia, including the Nizhny Novgorod region, will be subject to mandatory three-year mentorship starting in 2026. The State Duma adopted the corresponding bill in the third reading on November 11, the parliamentary press service reported.

      The aim of the measure is to provide the healthcare system with qualified personnel and reduce the staffing shortage. According to figures cited by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, by the beginning of 2025 the country lacked more than 23,000 doctors and over 63,000 mid-level medical specialists. In 54 regions, the provision of doctors is below the average level, and the workload of district therapists exceeds the norm by 65%.

      Mentorship will be mandatory for all graduates, including those who studied on a paid basis. Young specialists will be able to work only in medical organizations participating in the compulsory medical insurance system. Graduates who completed training under a targeted contract will be employed in the institutions specified in those contracts.

      The Ministry of Health will determine the list of specialties and training areas for which mentorship will be introduced, as well as its exact duration. However, the period cannot exceed three years. In certain cases, by decision of the Ministry of Health and the government, it may be shortened — depending on the region or a specific specialty.

      After completing the mentorship, medical professionals will undergo periodic accreditation. Pharmacists are an exception — they are not subject to the new rules.

      The law also provides changes to the targeted training system: residency will introduce a 100% targeted intake, while in the specialist program 70% of places will be targeted and 30% state-funded. A separate selection will be organized for applicants entering colleges under targeted placements. It should be noted that initially the Ministry of Health proposed making all state-funded places in medical and pharmaceutical universities targeted.

      Earlier it was reported that experienced pharmacists across the country, including in the Nizhny Novgorod region, are being widely denied accreditation due to discrepancies in employment record books.

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