Head of Internal Medicine at Osakidetza: requirements and 2026 competition process

Key data

The Integrated Health Organization Bilbao-Basurto (Osakidetza) has published in the BOE the competition announcement to fill the Head of Internal Medicine Service position at Bilbao-Basurto Hospital. Resolution 3668/2026, of July 6, establishes a selection process that combines the evaluation of merits, the defense of a management project and an interview before the Evaluation Committee. If you are permanent statutory staff of the NHS or Osakidetza with a specialty in Internal Medicine, this competition directly affects you and the deadline to act is short.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution announces a public merit-based competition for the provision of a single position: the Head of the Internal Medicine Service of OSI Bilbao-Basurto. The process is structured in three differentiated phases:

• Presentation and public defense of a management project report: the candidate must prepare and present to the Evaluation Committee a project that reflects their vision and plan for managing the service.
• Evaluation of merits according to scoring criteria: the merits accredited by each candidate will be evaluated according to the criteria established in the competition announcement.
• Interview before the Evaluation Committee: phase of personal evaluation before the selection body.

To obtain the appointment, the candidate must achieve at least half of the maximum total score and also at least half of the maximum score corresponding to the management project. Both conditions are cumulative: it is not enough to exceed one of the two.

The resolution also establishes that the Evaluation Committee must respect the principle of balanced representation of women and men in its composition.

Economic and operational impact

Obtaining a service head position at Osakidetza represents a significant change in the professional's remuneration and responsibilities. Service head positions in the Basque public health system entail specific position allowances that notably increase the base salary of group A1. Additionally, they imply direct responsibility for the clinical, budgetary and human resources management of the service.

From an operational perspective, the competition imposes a relevant preparatory workload: the preparation of the management project report requires time, documentation and a strategic vision of the service. Candidates must plan in advance the collection of merits and the drafting of the project, given that the application deadline is only 15 business days from the last publication in official bulletins.

Who does it affect?

This competition exclusively affects:

• Permanent statutory staff of the National Health System (NHS) or Osakidetza.
• Civil servants or permanent staff of qualification group A1.
• Professionals with qualification in the Internal Medicine specialty.
• Candidates with a minimum of 4 years of accredited experience in the specialty.

Temporary or interim professionals and those who do not simultaneously meet all the above requirements cannot compete.

Practical example

Imagine an internist physician with a permanent position at Basurto Hospital, group A1, with 10 years of experience in Internal Medicine. This person meets all the requirements to access the competition.

Their roadmap would be as follows:

1. From the last publication in official bulletins, they have 15 business days to submit the application. If publication occurs on a Monday, the deadline expires approximately three weeks later.
2. They must prepare and submit a management project report that they defend publicly before the Evaluation Committee.
3. They accredit their merits according to the scoring criteria established in the competition announcement.
4. They participate in the interview before the Evaluation Committee.
5. To be appointed, they must obtain at least 50% of the maximum total score and at least 50% of the maximum score of the management project. If they exceed the merit criteria but do not reach the minimum in the project, they cannot be appointed.

What should candidates do now?

1. Verify the date of last publication in official bulletins: the 15 business day deadline begins from that moment. Identify the exact date to avoid missing the deadline.
2. Check compliance with requirements: confirm that you are permanent statutory staff, group A1, with qualification in Internal Medicine and at least 4 years of accredited experience in the specialty.
3. Begin preparation of the management project report: this is the phase with the greatest weight in the minimum required score. Start as soon as possible, as it requires service analysis, improvement proposals and structured presentation.
4. Collect and organize merits: prepare all documentation proving your professional trajectory, training and research or teaching activity according to the competition scoring criteria.
5. Submit the application within the deadline: do so through the channels indicated in the competition announcement before the 15 business days expire.
6. Prepare for public defense and interview: the project defense is public and before the Evaluation Committee; practice your oral presentation and anticipate possible questions about clinical and resource management.

Official source

Notice: This article is purely informational in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-20035