Doctor with training from third countries, recognition of professional qualification

Prerequisites

• You have a professional qualification as a doctor from a third country.
• You want to work as a doctor in Germany.
• Personal suitability: You are reliable to work as a doctor and have no criminal record.
• Medical suitability: You can work as a doctor both mentally and physically.
• You have German language skills at the required language level. As a rule, these are general language skills at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and medical language skills at level C1.

Documents required

The responsible authority will inform you about which documents you need to submit. Important documents are generally:

• Proof of identity (e.g. passport or identity card)
• Marriage certificate (if your name has changed due to marriage)
• CV
• Evidence of your professional qualifications (e.g. certificates, professional certificates)
• Evidence of the content and duration of your training (e.g. Diploma Supplement, Transcript of Records)
• Proof of your professional experience in your profession (e.g. employment references)
• Information on whether you have already applied for a license to practice medicine in Germany
• You must prove that you are allowed to work in the profession in your country of training.
• You do not yet live or work in the EU, EEA or Switzerland? Then you must prove that you want to work in Germany in this profession. Evidence can be: applications for a job, proof of your application for an entry visa for employment or a personal declaration

You usually hand in these documents later. The responsible office will inform you when you should hand in the documents:

• Proof of your personal suitability: Criminal record extract or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin. The proof must be no more than 3 months old when the application is submitted.
• Proof of your health suitability: Medical certificate. The proof must be no more than 3 months old when you submit your application.
• Proof of your German language skills: language certificate.
  The prerequisite for approval is general German language skills at level B2. You can also submit the required language certificate during the approval process. You must also take a medical language test at level C1 during the approval process.

The competent authority will inform you which documents you must submit as a simple copy, a certified copy or the original.

If your documents are not in German, you must submit German translations of your documents. The translations must be made by translators who are officially appointed or authorized.

Please note

The licensing procedure involves checking the equivalence of your training (recognition procedure). You can apply for a separate notice of the result of the examination.

With the so-called professional permit, you can work for a limited period of time without a license. With the professional permit, you can work under the supervision of a person with a license. You may then only be allowed to carry out activities in a certain field of work. You must meet the following requirements for the professional permit:

• Proof of your professional qualifications
• health aptitude
• Personal suitability
• Knowledge of German: You must demonstrate language skills at level B2 and take a specialist language test at level C1

You can apply for a professional license from the responsible authority.

As a late repatriate, you can choose to go through the recognition process according to the laws mentioned here or according to the Federal Expellees Act. You can decide for yourself. The responsible authority will advise you on which process is right for you.

Deadlines

No

Procedure

• You submit an application for a license to practice medicine to the responsible authority. You can submit the application and the documents to the responsible authority or send them by post. Do not send originals. Sometimes you can also send the application electronically. The responsible authority will inform you.
• The responsible body will then check whether your training corresponds to the German training and whether all other requirements are met. Approval can only be granted if your training from a third country is equivalent to the German training.
• The responsible body compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification. The responsible body checks whether your professional qualification is equivalent. The professional qualification is equivalent if there are no significant differences between your foreign professional qualification and the German professional qualification.
• If your professional qualification is equivalent, your foreign professional qualification will be recognized. The authority can confirm the result in writing. You must still meet the other requirements and prove your language skills. You will then be granted a license to practice as a doctor.
  • Are there significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification? Perhaps you can compensate for the differences through your professional experience, other knowledge or skills (lifelong learning). You must provide evidence of your professional experience. Knowledge and skills must be certified by an authority in the state in which you acquired the knowledge or skills.
  • However, it may be that the essential differences cannot be compensated for by this knowledge. The responsible body will tell you the essential differences and why you cannot compensate for the essential differences through your professional experience. The decision from the responsible body will also state the level of your training and the level required in Germany. You will then not be allowed to work as a doctor in Germany. If your professional qualifications are not equivalent and you cannot compensate for the differences, you can take a knowledge test. The knowledge test is based on the final examination as a doctor in Germany. The knowledge test is an oral and practical test.
  • If you pass the knowledge test and meet all other requirements, you will be licensed to practice medicine.

Processing time

Individual case dependent

Fees

The responsible authority will inform you about the costs. The costs generally depend on the effort required for processing.

Additional costs may also arise (e.g. for translations or certifications). These costs vary from individual to individual.

Legal remedies

You can take legal action against the decision of the responsible authority within a certain period of time (for example, lodge an objection). The decision will then be reviewed. Details can be found in the legal remedy instructions at the end of your decision. We recommend that you speak to the responsible authority first before taking legal action against the decision.

Legal basis

§ 2 ff. Federal Medical Code

www.gesetze-im-internet.de/b_o/__2.html


§ 37 ff. Licensing regulations for doctors

www.gesetze-im-internet.de/_appro_2002/__37.html