Structure of the UEMS

General structure

The UEMS gathers individuals dedicated to promoting high standards of medical training, practice, and patient care across Europe.

The structure of the UEMS is complex, and detailed below. Diagrams for details on the functioning of our organisation can be downloaded:

Go to diagrams

UEMS Council

The members of the UEMS gather and meet twice a year in a general assembly, named the UEMS Council. The UEMS Council is the forum where representatives of all UEMS members, of UEMS bodies, and of have the opportunity to exchange views on the projects endeavoured by the UEMS, and of other European medical organisations
The orientation of UEMS, launch of projects and follow-up are discussed and decided at the occasion of the UEMS Council.

For the day-to-day functioning and activities, the structure of the UEMS is quite complex, with many bodies which have their own activities. It consists of:

Executive Committee

(Enlarged Executive Committee)

The Executive Committe has in charge the day-to day management of the organisation, and the coordination among UEMS bodies, in accordance with decisions taken at the UEMS Council.

Specialties Sections

Specialist Sections promote and support the interest of the different medical specialties at the European level, 3 Sections have subspecialties Divisions

Multidisciplinary Joint Committees

Multidisciplinary joint committees work on medical common topics of interest

Thematic Federations

Thematic Federations work on transverse matters of interests for all medical specialists, such as their working conditions and notably on equality, diversity & inclusivity or sustainable medical practice

Working Groups

Working groups focus on issues of interest for medical specialists at European level, such as CME/CPD or PGT.

There also exist Advisory board working groups which work on internal matters of the UEMS.

Specialties Bodies

The UEMS represents more than 50 medical disciplines through:

Specialist Sections,
Specialist Divisions, and
Multidisciplinary Joint Committees.

Main missions & activities

Set European Training Requirements (post-graduate training),

Organise European exams,

Assess and certify training centres,

Advocate for the physicians of their specialty,

Realise the scientific review of educational events/materials for CME points.

Diagram of internal functioning focus on UEMS Specialist Sections

Specialties Sections (and their Divisions)

The most important medical specialties bodies within the UEMS are the 43 Specialist Sections, which represent the medical specialties recognised by the European Union.

They represent and promote their respective medical specialty, and develop European standards of medical training in their respective medical disciplines.
Indeed, the UEMS created in 1962 Specialist Sections for each of the main disciplines practised in the 6 common market member states. These groups of experts, made up of representatives of the national associations of the specialties concerned, carry out a considerable workload with the idea of coordinating and harmonising specialist training and criteria for the recognition of medical specialists.

UEMS Sections may set up European Boards which are working groups dedicated to address scientific and training interests of the medical specialty.
In this respect, European Boards welcome members of recognised academic or scientific society of the specialty in question.

Divisions & working groups

A UEMS Specialist Section may create one or more division(s) or working group under its responsibility, devoted to the study, promotion and defence of a branch of the specialty or competence.

Here below are all the UEMS Specialist Sections (and their Divisions, if any):

Multidisciplinary Joint Committees

The Multidisciplinary Joint Committees (MJC) of the UEMS group different Specialist Sections to work on common topics of interest, for competences or spheres of activity belonging to several disciplines..

They can have the same range of activities as the Specialties Sections, but on a medical discipline involving several specialties. The MJC may also set European Boards with the same functions & activities as the European Boards of a Specialty Section.

Here is the list of the medical disciplines created for these purposes:

Adolescent medicine and health : Training Objectives

Breast care

Hand surgery

Immune mediated disease

Infection control

Intensive care medicine

Manual medicine

Medical balneology

NASCE -Network of Accredited Skills Centres in Europe

Oncology

Paediatric urology