The Swedish Medical Association (SMA) is the doctors’ professional organisation established to look after the professional and personal needs of our members. Patient safety, the work environment, salaries, working hours, training and research are some of the issues that are of great importance for the organisation.
We are in constant contact with ministers, government departments, government authorities, employers and many other influential bodies were we promote high quality health care and the interest of our members. The Swedish Medical Association represents doctors in all branches of medicine all over Sweden. About 85 percent of Sweden’s doctors are members of the Swedish Medical Association.
The SMA enters into collective agreements on behalf of its members in areas such as general employment conditions, which includes salaries, working hours, holidays, sick and parental leave and pensions. Membership of the SMA entitles you to:
• Advice and support in matters relating to your salary, contract, and general working conditions as well as insurance and pensions.
• Help with salary negotiations, and up-to-date salary statistics.
• Legal assistance on disciplinary matters, such as negligence claims or probation, and on general matters of healthcare, tax and labour law.
• Peer support for doctors undergoing a personal crisis.
As a member of the SMA, you will be registered at a local branch in the area where you are working. You will also belong to at least one professional association, which is a national organisation for members with the same professional position, e.g. general practitioners, occupational health doctors, junior doctors etc.
Before becoming a specialist, you will belong to the Swedish Junior Doctors’ Association (SYLF), which organises doctors who are completing their internship and specialist training (residency). The association has about 7,000 members and deals with union issues of importance to young doctors, such as training, general working conditions and salaries.
SMA’s student organisation, the Swedish Medical Students Association (MSF), has approx. 4.000 members and in addition to training-related issues also works with salary and employment conditions for doctors doing their internship and working on a supply basis as assistant physicians.