This is because universities are not recruiting for postgraduate courses in medical analytics, despite the fact that the subject is of great interest to masters in biology, biotechnology, chemistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine. Ombudsman Marcin Wiącek has addressed Health Minister Izabela Leszczyny on the issue, calling for action to provide educational opportunities in this field.
As early as 2023, the Office of the RPO intervened on this issue. In response, the Ministry of Health indicated that a revised professional curriculum for postgraduate training in medical analytics was published in August 2022. Despite this, universities still do not provide such studies. The RPO approached the ministry again in March 2025, requesting information on actions taken and signals of blocking access to postgraduate education.
The Ministry, in a response dated April 11, 2025, explained that the possibility for people who have graduated from courses useful in laboratory diagnostics and received postgraduate training to become laboratory diagnosticians is transitional. The MZ also noted that the decision to launch such studies is up to the universities.
Dispute over legitimacy of postgraduate education
According to information from the ROP, the problem stems from a long-standing dispute in the professional community over the legitimacy of allowing people without a five-year unified degree in medical analytics to become laboratory diagnosticians. Article 11 of the Law on Laboratory Medicine stipulates that laboratory diagnostician licenses can be obtained by those who have completed biology, biotechnology, chemistry, pharmacy or veterinary medicine and postgraduate training in the field by the end of 2028.
According to the ROP, if the legislator provided for such a pathway to the profession, he should guarantee its viable operation. The current situation, in which the lack of postgraduate studies makes the provision illusory, raises concerns about the fate of many graduates of medical analytics-related fields.
The ROP urges the Health Ministry to take effective measures to ensure that master's degree holders in biology, biotechnology, chemistry, pharmacy or veterinary medicine can pursue postgraduate training in medical analytics. In the event that such a solution is not possible, the RPO suggests that consideration be given to amending the regulations, which are currently misleading regarding the possibility of becoming a laboratory diagnostician.
Source: RPO
