In Germany 21 registration authorities exist. Each registration authority is competent for a specific region. Physicians have to contact the registration authority in the region they want to work.
Contact Data:
Adressen der Approbationsbehörden (Stand: Februar 2019)
Baden-Württemberg
Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart Landesprüfungsamt für Medizin und Pharmazie, Approbationswesen Nordendstr. 142 70191 Stuttgart Tel.: +49-(0)725-09337025 E-Mail: Internet:
Bayern
Regierung von Oberbayern Umwelt, Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz Approbation und Berufserlaubnisse im Sachgebiet 55.2 Maximilianplatz 27 80538 München Tel.: +49-(0)89-76220411 E-Mail: Internet:
Regierung von Unterfranken (zuständig für: Oberfranken, Mittelfranken und Unterfranken)
Sachgebiet 55.2 Rechtsfragen Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz, Weinprüfstelle Lindenplatz 12 97070 Würzburg Tel.: +49-(0)931-9304227 E-Mail: Internet:
Achtung: Die Regierung von Unterfranken ist nur für Ärzte mit Abschlüssen aus dem Europäischen Wirtschaftsraum/Schweiz zuständig. Ärzte mit einem Diplom aus einem Staat außerhalb des EWR/Schweiz müssen sich an die Regierung von Oberbayern wenden.
Berlin
Landesamt für Gesundheit und Soziales Landesprüfungsamt für Gesundheitsberufe Turmstr. 96 10559 Berlin Tel.: +49-(0)30-823307 E-Mail: Internet:
A basic medical training completed successfully in a member state of the European Union will, on request, be automatically recognised in Germany provided that the qualification is listed in the European Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (2005/36/EC, Annex V No. 5.1.1), that the minimum criteria of the directive are met and that the basic medical training had been started after the specified reference date. As the EU has passed corresponding treaties with Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, similar rules apply for diplomas from these countries. Furthermore foreign physicians have to have an adequate knowledge of the German language. Basically, all registration authority demand the level B2 for general German and the level C1 for medical German. It is important to note that the physician has to contact the registration authority responsible for the geographic area in which he/she wants to work in order to find out which language certificates are acceptable. There are some other requirements (e.g. health requirements, no criminal record) which also need to be fulfilled in order to obtain full registration (Approbation). Further information and the list of documents are posted on the websites of the registration authorities.
There are no deadlines. The recognition process should be completed within 3 months after the registration authority received all necessary documents. For those physicians who do not fall under the automatic recognition system of the Directive 2005/36/EC the process can last up to 4 months after a complete application has been handed in.
Further information is posted on the websites of the registration authorities
No.
(Only if the physician falls under the general system of recognition of the Directive 2005/36/EC and substantial differences in the basic medical education have been detected which could not be compensated, the physician has to pass an aptitude exam. These are rather exceptional cases.)
Physician (Arzt/Ärztin) Specialist Physician (Fachärztin)
After graduation from medical university in Germany junior doctors can do their postgraduate training. With the completion of postgraduate training (including the specialist exam) the physician becomes a specialist physician. Further information can be found on the websites of the State Chamber of Physicians.
The State Chambers of Physicians (Landesärztekammern) are responsible for postgraduate medical training, the recognition of postgraduate training done abroad and the recognition of foreign medical specialist diplomas. Each German State (Bundesland) has one State Chamber of Physicians with the exception of North Rhine-Westphalia where there are two (please see attached list).
For each physician only the regulations for postgraduate medical training issued by the State Chamber of Physicians where he/she is a member are legally binding.
(Stand: Januar 2019)
Landesärztekammer Baden-Württemberg Jahnweg 37 70597 Stuttgart Tel.: +49 (0)955-107633 Fax: +49 (0)955-7052991 E-Mail: Internet:
There are no examination, clerkship, internship etc. However, all doctors need to register with the State Chamber of Physicians in which jurisdiction they work.
Employment ads may be found e.g. in the following media: Marburger Bund: Deutsches Ärzteblatt: Websites of hospitals Federal Employment Agency/International and Specialized Services:
There are no general deadlines. Individual job advertisements often have a specific deadline.
It is the individual choice of the physician in which speciality and in which region he/she applies for a position. However, there is no guarantee that the applicant gets the desired position. In such a case he/she needs to look for an alternative.
Yes, physicians are employees during their postgraduate training and receive a salary.
Physician: 4,402.39 € (1st year) - 5,658.97 € (6th year) Specialist Physician 5,810.48 € (1st year) - 7,462.09 € (13th year onwards)
There are different collective agreements for different types of hospitals (e.g. hospitals run by the state, hospitals run by local authorities, private hospitals). Therefore, the salaries and other working conditions vary slightly. The above figures refer to the collective agreement of the communal hospitals.
According to all our collective agreements overtime has to be compensated. Unfortunately, this does not always happen automatically. Members of the Marburger Bund who work overtime and do not get an adequate compensation should contact the Marburger Bund.
There are unlimited and fixed-term positions. Most training positions are fixed-term. The regular weekly working time is 40-42 hours (collective agreement for communal and university hospitals). The average weekly working time including on-call time can be up to 58 hours (collective agreement for communal and university hospitals).
Employed physicians who are sick receive their full salary for up to 6 weeks. Afterwards they might receive sick pay from the health insurance (depending on the insurance contract) for up to 78 weeks and a possible allowance from their employer for up to a maximum of 39 weeks. According to our collective agreements 29-30 days of paid holidays are granted.
In general female employees have 14 weeks of paid maternity leave (six weeks before giving birth and 8 weeks after giving birth).
For some sort of voluntary work (e.g. work in the Chamber of Physicians) physicians can be released partly from their work while being paid.
For more information please refer to the specific health insurance and the collective agreement which is applicable. Information on maternity leave:
Information on parental leave and parental money: Members of the Marburger Bund get free advice on these issues from their Marburger Bund State Association.
On the federal level no data is available.
For specific information please refer to the State Chamber of Physicians.
Information on the State level might be available from the State Chamber of Physicians.
Yes. Hospitals, practices and other places need to be accredited by the State Chamber of Physicians in order to be able to offer postgraduate training. Evaluations are conducted by the State Chamber of Physicians.
For further information please contact the State Chambers of Physicians.
There is no recertification process in general but specialist physicians are obliged to earn 250 credit points of continuous medical education within each five-year-period during their professional life.
The physician needs to apply for full registration (Approbation). He/she has to contact the registration authority in the region she/he wants to work. For further information please refer to point 1.2 and 2.2 of this questionnaire.
Minimum training times ranges from 4-6 years. However, there are only a few specialties where the minimum training time is 4 years. In most specialties it is 5 to 6 years. Furthermore, minimum training times are often exceeded for various reasons.
A specialist physician can move further up the hierarchy in the hospital if he/she takes on additional responsibilities, becomes Vice-Head of the Department or Chief of the Department. In these cases the salary also increases.
Yes. The Marburger Bund offers its members further advice on this issue.
For many physicians work experiences gained abroad is a professional and personal enrichment and employers (in general) also value such experience. The Marburger Bund advises members who wish to work in other countries. Once a year we conduct a special seminar on this issue.
The European Commission has pointed out that it is an unacceptable practice if a country accepts only language qualification issued by certain types of institutions. The fact that in 13 States foreign physicians have to sit a specific language exam conducted by the State Chamber of Physician is a controversial issue.
The Marburger Bund is the only trade union for physicians in Germany. We offer free legal advice in all matters pertaining to labour law (e.g. examination of working contracts, enforcement of compensation for overtime, maternity and parental regulations). We also represent our members in the labour court if necessary. However, the range of services of the Marburger Bund reaches far beyond this offer. You’ll find more details on the advantages of a membership in the Marburger Bund under:
If the basic medical training in the country of training consists of medical studies and an obligatory practical phase (e.g. Foundation Year, Internship) we highly recommend that the physician only comes to Germany after he/she has completed this practical phase. Otherwise the competent registration authority will conclude that the basic medical training is incomplete. Please note that it is extremely difficult to integrate into the German system with an incomplete basic medical training.
The Marburger Bund has posted detailed information for foreign physicians (with qualifications from EEA-countries/Switzerland and non EEA-countries) who wish to work in Germany on its website:
