[56746] Reform in the Russian healthcare system: The Ministry of Health updates the list of medical professions
[56746] Reform in the Russian healthcare system: The Ministry of Health updates the list of medical professions
The Russian Ministry of Health plans to add more than ten new medical professions starting this coming September, alongside the removal of specialties considered outdated from the official lexicon.
The Russian Ministry of Health updates the nomenclature of medical professions
Russia's Ministry of Health has published a draft order proposing to significantly update the list of recognized medical professions in the country starting September 1, 2026. According to reports from РИА Новости, a media network aligned with the positions of the Russian government, the changes include the addition of new fields such as medical embryology, neuropsychology, ergo-rehabilitation, and healthy longevity medicine.
The state news agency ТАСС notes that alongside the addition of new specialties, the ministry plans to cease recruitment for a number of professions defined as "outdated." This list includes, among others, diabetologists, sexologists, and municipal pediatricians. However, officials emphasize that "for specialists already working in these roles, the positions will be preserved" (according to ТАСС).
In a more detailed report by Lomovka, a channel that supports the government narrative, additional professions entering the list are detailed: medical biology, medical speech therapy, medical physics, medical massage, and chemical specialties. The channel emphasizes that the goal of the move is to adapt medical personnel to the modern needs of the system.
On the other hand, the channel Время госзакупок, which sometimes focuses on criticism of bureaucratic conduct and public tenders, presents the list of professions to be deleted in a different light, noting that these are specialties that have "lost their relevance" (according to Время госзакупок). The list also includes fields such as entomology (zoology) and adolescent psychiatry, which raises questions among certain parties regarding the scope of medical services that will remain available.
The changes reflect a broader trend of the Russian government's attempt to reorganize the public medical system, with an emphasis on new paramedical and technological professions such as nutritiology (clinical nutrition) (according to Больше, чем экономика).