Archived: World Medical Association Statement on Medical Manpower – I

Adopted by the 35th World Medical Assembly Venice, Italy, October 1983
amended by the 38th World Medical Assembly Rancho Mirage, CA, USA, October 1986
and rescinded at the WMA General Assembly, Santiago 2005

The Assembly of the World Medical Association meeting in Venice, this 28th day of October 1983, calls upon all National Medical Associations to work for a solution to the emerging problems related to medical manpower.

Recognizing the need:

1. to provide access for all people to medical care of the highest quality, and
2. to maintain those standards of medical care that result in the provision of quality medical care, as well as
3. providing for the development of new knowledge, skills and techniques that will foster progress in medical science.

The Assembly urges all National Medical Associations to work with their governments within the provisions of their respective laws to accomplish these ends.

Quality medical care and the maintenance and development of a physician’s skills and techniques, as well as the discovery of new knowledge and information, are inseparably linked to the physician’s opportunity for patient care and clinical experience. This principle must be recognized in any solution to medical manpower problems, and economic and political concerns must be subordinated to this principle.

Most importantly, the foregoing principle must be recognized and applied to the laws and policies governing medical schools so that the high standards of quality medical care may be assured for future generations.