Intégrez un système de santé performant
Germany has a world-class healthcare system. The use of the latest therapies and modern medical devices ensures a high level of care. A large network of clinics and independent doctors allows patients to quickly access the medical services they need. The increasing digitalization of the healthcare sector opens up new possibilities for medical care. For example, data can be quickly made available through electronic health records or access to digital health apps and telemedicine. The healthcare sector in Germany is characterized by its strong innovation and dynamic economic sector. With over 6 million people employed, the healthcare system in Germany is also a major driver of employment, with the number of positions steadily increasing over the years. More than 428,000 doctors ensure good care for patients.
Your medical career in Germany.
In Germany, doctors are urgently needed to take over. The demand is expected to increase in the coming years, as many doctors in the hospital sector will retire. In the field of independent doctors, it is primarily general practitioners and family doctors who are in high demand. Particularly in East Germany and rural areas, many doctors are no longer able to find anyone to replace them in their practice.
At the same time, the number of foreign doctors practicing in Germany has more than doubled over the past ten years. Many foreign doctors apply every year for the recognition of their foreign qualifications. Doctors often rank second among the professions with the most applications, following healthcare staff.
As a doctor, many career opportunities await you in Germany. For example, you can work in hospitals, clinics, health centers, or in elderly or patient care services. You would typically be employed as a salaried worker. However, you can also run a medical practice as an independent doctor. Additionally, other sectors are open to you, such as medical research and medical training, working with health services, health insurance companies, or in the private sector, for example, as a scientist in medical technology or the pharmaceutical industry. Overall, doctors in Germany achieve the highest average incomes of all academic disciplines.
Foreign doctors in Germany.
64 000
foreign doctors working in Germany (2023).
Approximately 36,000
foreign doctors come from countries outside the European Union.
Access conditions for doctors.
If you have completed your medical training abroad, you need state authorization to practice and work as a doctor in Germany. Without this authorization, you cannot work in Germany as a doctor serving patients. The medical license (Approbation) is a state authorization that allows you to practice your profession without restrictions. To obtain it, it must be determined whether your training is equivalent to the training of doctors in Germany. .
The authorities responsible for access to the profession are the licensing authorities in the respective federal states. You can find a list of the competent authorities that issue the medical practice license from the relevant state authorities. The Federal Chamber of Physicians in Germany (Bundesärztekammer) or by proceeding to the “search for equivalence”To apply for authorization to practice as a doctor and obtain professional authorization, certificates regarding your medical qualifications (certificate from your home country or a medical certificate issued in Germany), personal suitability (criminal record extract (Führungszeugnis) or Certificate of Good Standing from your home country or a German police record extract), and your knowledge of the German language are also generally required. You can find the language proficiency requirements according to the federal states (Länder) from the relevant authorities. Marburger Bund. The minimum requirement in all federal states is a general language level of B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Additionally, it is generally necessary to pass a specialized medical language exam, which is oriented towards the C1 level of the CEFR.