Danish Doctors Warn: Too Many Med Students

Irina

Writer

December 17, 2025
9:25 am

Thousands of Danish doctors and medical students have sent Christmas cards to the Minister for Higher Education urging her to reduce the number of medical school admissions. They argue that Denmark is training too many doctors, wasting public funds, and risking future unemployment among graduates.

Doctors Call for Action on Oversupply

More than 7,000 doctors and medical students are taking part in a nationwide campaign asking the Danish government to lower the number of students admitted to medical programs. Their Christmas cards, addressed to Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund, all carry the same message: “Reduce medical school admissions.”

The initiative is supported by the Danish Medical Association, the Junior Doctors’ Organization, and FADL, the Association of Danish Medical Students. They believe that while Denmark once faced a shortage of physicians, the situation has now changed. Currently, the real challenge lies in hiring enough specialists rather than newly graduated doctors.

Experts and Regions Support the Concern

The doctors’ concern is echoed by both the Danish Regions, which employs most doctors in Denmark, and several health economists. According to Jakob Kjellberg, professor of health economics at VIVE, the country’s National Research and Analysis Center for Welfare, the healthcare system may soon be unable to employ all the doctors it produces.

Statistics from the Ministry of Higher Education show a steady increase in enrollment over the past decade. Despite earlier concerns about shortages, the number of medical students has continued to rise. In 2024 alone, nearly 1,700 new students began their medical studies.

Mads Duedahl, vice-chair of Danish Regions, agrees that the current trajectory could lead to an oversupply. While it takes 12 to 13 years to become a specialist, thousands are already on their way through the system. If the intake continues to grow, there will likely be too many doctors in the near future.

Specialist Shortages Slowly Closing

In certain parts of Denmark, such as Region Zealand, there are still shortages of specialized doctors. Psychiatry and family medicine remain difficult fields to recruit for. But according to Kjellberg, these gaps will eventually narrow thanks to the large number of medical students already enrolled in training programs.

He explains that Denmark is currently in a transitional phase. The apparent shortage of specialists is temporary because many of those already studying medicine will fill these roles in the next decade.

Financial Strain and Future Unemployment

Medical education is one of the most expensive programs in Denmark. Critics say the government is wasting money training doctors who may later struggle to find jobs. A recent forecast by the Ministry of Finance predicts an oversupply of up to 8,000 physicians by 2035 if current enrollment levels are maintained.

Still, the government decided in 2024 to increase the yearly intake of medical students by 140 starting in 2025. Both VIVE and the medical associations warn that this will make an already difficult job market worse, possibly forcing more young doctors to seek employment abroad.

Because of that, many argue that Denmark’s universities, including the best universities in Denmark, should focus on maintaining quality rather than continuously expanding class sizes.

Proposed Solution and Regional Balance

The three medical organizations — the Danish Medical Association, the Junior Doctors’ Organization, and FADL — are suggesting the government reduce medical school admissions by 250 spots per year starting in 2026, mainly in the big cities. They believe this approach will prevent future unemployment while encouraging more balanced distribution of doctors across the country.

Danske Regioner supports this plan, emphasizing that it is crucial to train more doctors in areas outside major cities, especially where populations are older and healthcare needs are higher. Duedahl says cutting back on admissions now is vital to ensure sustainability in the long term.

The Government Yet to Respond

So far, Minister Christina Egelund has not commented on the Christmas card campaign. However, growing pressure from professional associations, experts, and regional leaders suggests that the debate over medical admissions will continue well into 2025.

For now, thousands of Danish doctors remain united in their plea: train fewer future doctors, focus on the specializations that matter, and prevent public money from funding unemployment.