Currently, German medicine occupies a leading position in the world in terms of the quality of services provided. Therefore, working in Germany as a doctor in 2021 is prestigious and highly paid. German medicine is funded by the state, which contributes to the development of medical technology.
Specificity of German medicine
In every federal state of Germany, the health sector is run by local governments. It is they who determine how much funds should be allocated for this industry from the federal budget.
The German healthcare system is based on the principle of solidarity, that is, medical care should be accessible to all segments of the population, regardless of their financial situation, and it should be funded from insurance premiums.
Therefore, every citizen is obliged to have insurance, since it is possible to receive outpatient or inpatient medical care only with an insurance policy. Most German citizens benefit from public health insurance, but there are also private programs.
Every patient in Germany has an electronic card, which contains the history of his illness and all appointments are recorded. Therefore, the examination can be done in any hospital.
The patient has the right to choose a medical institution himself, but only among those included in the state program.
Information on the German healthcare system is provided in the article “What you need to know about medicine in Germany”.
Which doctors are most in demand in Germany
A doctor with any specialization can get a job in German clinics. On the websites of medical institutions and job search sites, you can almost always find free vacancies. True, some specialists will find work faster, while others will have to wait.
If your specialty is not among the most demanded, this does not mean that it is time to stop searching - you just need to accept certain rules. Don't be afraid to change your specialization, especially if it is narrow enough.
For example, you are a heart surgeon. There are many such specialists in Germany, and they are all very qualified. Therefore, you can try to start with general surgery. There are a lot of such departments in both large and small clinics. Work there, and when you gain experience at a local hospital, transfer to cardiology. The same rules apply for therapeutic specialties.
At the moment, the most in demand are family doctors, specialists in the field of general therapy and general surgery. It will be a little more difficult to find a job as an orthopedist, psychiatrist, anesthesiologist, neurologist, gynecologist and rehabilitation therapist.
Ophthalmologists, ENT specialists, forensic experts, vascular surgeons, neurosurgeons, cardiac surgeons and pathologists will have the hardest part.
In this regard, having arrived to work in Germany, the doctor can change his specialization.
How to confirm the qualifications of a doctor to work in Germany
The profession of a doctor in Germany is one of the regulated ones, that is, those that require confirmation of a diploma. In order to confirm the diploma, you should contact the German embassy in your country. There you can also get all the information about the documents that must be provided to an applicant with a Russian diploma.
The issues of nostrification of a diploma in Germany are discussed in the article "Confirmation of a diploma in Germany in 2021: easier than it seems".
Documents required to confirm the diploma
For all foreign specialists in the field of medicine, including Russians, a list of documents that must be submitted has been approved. It includes:
- A resume drawn up in accordance with the rules of employment in Germany.
- A copy of the diploma and the insert with grades.
- Extract from the examination sheet, which can be obtained at the faculty by submitting an application addressed to the dean. This is necessary in order to confirm the number of hours listened to in a particular academic discipline.
- Internship documents. An internship or internship in Germany will be a big plus.
- Copies of documents on additional education (advanced training, residency, postgraduate studies).
- A copy of the certificate confirming knowledge of the German language. It must contain a note about the language level.
- Residence permit in Germany. It can also be a work visa or a Blue Card.
- If you are moving to a country for a certain status, then you need a copy of the document that confirms it. The reason for moving can be Jewish roots, family reunification, status of a late immigrant.
- Medical certificate of health status.
All documents must be notarized and translated into German. The translation must be done by a professional who also provides a legal guarantee. Translations are confirmed by a German consulate or by a sworn translator.
German language proficiency level for a doctor in Germany
It is impossible to work as a doctor and even as a doctor's assistant without knowing the language in Germany. A prerequisite for obtaining admission to medical practice is knowledge of German at a level not lower than B2. In some federal states, such as Bavaria, this is sufficient.
In many regions, proof of proficiency in German is required. To do this, you need to pass a special exam called Fachsprachprüfung, which is held at the place of future work.
During the exam, a situation is simulated that is as close as possible to the working conditions, which allows you to test the doctor's ability to talk with patients, exchange information with a German doctor, fill out medical documents and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Hospitation as the first step towards employment in Germany
Hospitation is, in fact, a passive practice that can be completed on a short-term Schengen visa for up to 3 months. A specialist who has passed it is much more likely to get a job in Germany.
Hospitation is carried out in the same specialty that the doctor received in his home country. As a rule, this internship is not paid (the fee is about 300 euros per month), however, some clinics provide accommodation and food for the interns.
To pass it, you do not need a medical license, you do not need to conclude an employment contract. During practice, you can observe the work of doctors and nurses, be present at the reception of patients, during medical procedures, study the rules for processing documents. You can communicate with medical personnel without any restrictions, but it is forbidden to carry out any medical manipulations, because the trainee does not have a license.
This practice is needed primarily so that the applicant can get to know the future place of work: after completing the internship, the clinic can sign a contract with the doctor or give him a letter of recommendation.
What is Approbation and how can you get it
Approbation is an open-ended permit to work as a doctor in Germany. However, this document is not a license to conduct your own practice, but only an admission to work as an assistant physician. However, only with this document you will be able to obtain a license to practice medicine in the EU.
Some clinics do not recruit specialists who have not passed the Approbation at all. The fact is that physicians trained in Germany receive this document immediately upon graduation.Therefore, the requirement for this document is always indicated when describing a vacancy.
To obtain the Approbation, you need to take the following steps: after the expert committee has reviewed the package of documents you submitted and made a conclusion about the level of your qualifications as a specialist, you need to pass an oral exam.
The timing of preparation for the exam can be different: 6 months in Hesse, a year and a half in Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony, two years in Bavaria. The applicant has three attempts to pass the exam.
The exam consists of 3-4 subjects. The main ones are surgery and therapy, the rest depend on the federal state or are surrendered by choice depending on the specialty. There are options such as pediatrics, anesthesiology, pharmacology (if you are a pharmacist), radiology (to work as a radiologist), clinical chemistry, and others.
A month before the exam, the applicant receives a letter containing the list of examiners, the location and the amount to be paid. The exam lasts about an hour and a half. After successfully passing the exam, the applicant is issued a standardized certificate.
How to look for a doctor's job in Germany
You can search for a suitable workplace both independently and with the help of intermediaries - recruiting agencies that are looking for personnel at the request of employers.
To find a job in Germany without intermediaries, you first need to write a resume. It should be drawn up according to a specific pattern.
This document should indicate:
- name and surname, full home address and contact details (phone, email) of the applicant;
- qualifications of the applicant;
- work experience;
- language skills;
- extra skills.
All important data in the resume should be indicated in chronological order, follow the structure and describe in detail your positive qualities. It is recommended that you attach a photo (better studio quality) in which you are smiling. Do not forget to include in your resume your professional experience (as specific as possible) and translate your documents and diplomas into German.
You also need to draw up a so-called application for a job. The Bewerbung or job request includes a short biography and answers to the questions: "Why do you want to work in our hospital?" and "What can you give this hospital?" The document is written in German.
After you receive a response from any clinic, you will most likely be offered a preliminary interview via Skype or directly in Germany, following which a decision on your employment will be made.
The easiest way to find a job in Germany is to contact a recruiting agency. The organization's specialists will help you prepare a resume and other necessary documents, translate them into German and select a suitable clinic. However, for the search and selection of vacancies, you will have to pay a considerable amount - from 200 to 1000 euros.
Where to look for work
The main place to look for work today is the Internet. There are several types of websites that post job vacancies for doctors:
- On the website of any clinic there is a section with a list of vacancies. Not only doctors can find work there, but also nurses, laboratory assistants and many others.
- On job sites: meinestadt.de, jobbörse.de, jobomat.de, meinestadt.de, gigajob.com, aerzteblatt.de/aerztestellen, etc.
How much do doctors get in Germany
The salary of doctors in Germany depends on the federal state, clinic, specialist qualifications and a number of other factors. In the table below, we present the average salaries in Germany in 2021. The size of the salary is indicated without taking into account tax deductions
| Specialty and qualifications | Monthly salary, euro |
|---|---|
| Doctor without specialization | 4023 |
| Doctor with specialization | 5309 |
| Head of department | 6650 |
| Chief physician | 7823 |
| Nurse, midwife, nursing | 2882 |
| Nursing Assistant | 2376 |
| Dentist | 4436 |
Finally
Getting a job as a doctor in Germany is quite difficult, but absolutely real. The main thing is not to be afraid to repurpose. In Germany, there are a huge number of vacancies for doctors of various specialties. However, in order to find a job, you need to know German well and confirm your diploma.
