lisäerikoisala

Lisäerikoisala is a formal designation for an additional field of specialization that extends a professional’s competence beyond their primary specialty. It is most commonly used in Finnish regulated professions such as medicine and dentistry, but the concept also appears in other fields. A lisäerikoisala enables a practitioner to provide services in a defined subspecialty area and to work with a broader or more complex patient population, while maintaining the base specialty as the core licensure.

In Finland, the lisäerikoisala is awarded by the relevant professional regulator or specialist board after completing an accredited training program. The training combines theoretical studies, supervised clinical practice, and assessments. The exact requirements—such as duration, number of clinical hours, and examination format—vary by field and by the responsible organization. Upon successful completion, a credential is issued and registered in the professional license or competence register, signifying that the practitioner has met the standards for the subspecialty.

Purpose and scope: The lisäerikoisala broadens a professional’s scope of practice, improves capabilities to handle specific conditions or procedures, and often enhances career opportunities. It is designed as a complement to the base specialty rather than a replacement.

Examples: In medicine, lisäerikoisalat may include areas such as intensive care, radiology, palliative care, or pediatric subspecialties; in dentistry, subspecialties like orthodontics or implantology are common. Availability and recognition differ between professions and jurisdictions.

See also: Specialist qualification, Subspecialty, Continuing professional development.