French Public Health Code
In forcePersons meeting the following conditions may be authorised to practise medicine as a replacement for a doctor:
1° have completed and validated the entire second cycle of medical studies in France or hold a qualification certifying equivalent basic medical training, issued by a Member State of the European Union or a party to the agreement on the European Economic Area ;
2° have completed a number of semesters in the third cycle of medical studies in France determined by the decree referred to in the last paragraph, depending on the speciality followed;
These authorisations are issued for a limited period by the Conseil Départemental de l'Ordre des Médecins, which informs the Agence Régionale de Santé.
When replacing a salaried doctor, the director of the health establishment must comply with the obligations relating to the academic training as well as the practical and theoretical training of the replacement.
When the needs of public health so require, the Minister responsible for health may, by decree issued, except in cases of extreme urgency, after consulting the relevant councils of the medical profession, authorise the representatives of the State in the département, for a specific period of time, to authorise the practice of medicine by students who have completed the second cycle of medical studies.
Persons belonging to the health reserve provided for in article L. 3132-1, carrying out an activity as part of a commitment to serve in the operational reserve provided for in article L. 4211-1 of the Defence Code or required in application of articles L. 3131-8 or L. 3131-9 and who have completed the second cycle of medical studies are authorised to practise medicine as part of the activities for which they have been called up.
A decree, issued after consultation with the Conseil national de l'ordre des médecins, sets the conditions for application of the first four paragraphs of this article, in particular the level of study required depending on the qualification of the practitioner replaced, the maximum duration of authorisations and the conditions for their extension.
