In Russia, medical professionals may be required to work in their specialty for three years after graduating from university.

      The State Duma approved in the first reading a bill aimed at addressing the staff shortage in the healthcare system. The document provides that graduates of medical and pharmaceutical universities who have received initial accreditation will be required to work under the supervision of a mentor in state medical institutions that provide free medical care for three years. The mentoring procedure will be approved by the Russian Ministry of Health. After three years of practice, specialists will be able to undergo the periodic accreditation necessary to continue their professional activities. In addition, students studying on a state-funded basis will be required to sign a targeted training agreement already in their first year. If they refuse to work under the agreement, the graduate will have to repay the state the cost of their education and pay a fine equal to twice that amount. Similar rules are proposed to be extended to students of secondary medical educational institutions. The authors of the initiative note that the law will help strengthen the healthcare system and provide regions, including small towns and villages, with qualified personnel. If the bill is finally approved, the new rules will come into force on March 1, 2026.