Apply for admission as a doctor in Germany with professional training in the former Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries

Prerequisites

• You are a late repatriate and have completed your education before
  • 20.08.1991 in Estonia or
  • 21.08.199 in Latvia or
  • 11.03.19990 in Lithuania or
  • 25.06.1991 in Slovenia or
  • 01.01.1993 in the Czech Republic or
  • 01.01.1993 in Slovakia or
  • Your training certificate was awarded to you by the former Soviet Union or
  • Your training certificate was awarded to you by the former Yugoslavia
• The training you acquired abroad is equivalent to training you completed in Germany. The professional qualification is equivalent if there are no significant differences between your foreign professional qualification and the German professional qualification.
• You want to work as a doctor in Germany.
• Personal suitability: You are reliable for working as a doctor and have no criminal record.
• Medical suitability: You are mentally and physically fit to work as a doctor.
• You have German language skills at the required language level. This is usually 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

• proof of identity (for example passport or identity card)
• Confirmation from the country where you completed your training that
  • that your training certificate is also legally valid there
  • that you have worked as a doctor for at least 3 years without interruption in the last 5 years
• If your name has changed due to marriage: Marriage certificate
• CV
• Information on whether you have already applied for a license to practice medicine in Germany.

If you do not yet live or work in the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you must also provide evidence that you want to work in the profession in Germany. Evidence can be:

• applications for a job
• Proof of your application for an entry visa for employment purposes
• personal statement

You usually submit these documents later. The responsible office will inform you when you should submit 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 responsible authority will tell 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

Deadlines

No

Procedure

• You submit an application for a license to practice medicine. You can submit the application together with the necessary documents to the responsible authority or send it by post. Do not send originals. Sometimes you can also send the application electronically. The responsible authority will inform you.
• The responsible body will check whether your training corresponds to the German training and whether all other requirements are met. The responsible body will check in particular whether your professional qualifications are equivalent.
• 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.
• If there are significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification, you may be able to compensate for these 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. If necessary, you can use this to prove equivalence and obtain approval.
• If you are unable to compensate for the significant differences, the responsible body will inform you of this in writing. The responsible body will tell you the significant differences, why you are unable to compensate for them, and what level of training you have or what level is required in Germany. In this case, you will not receive a license to practice medicine and will 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 to become 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 as a doctor.

Processing time

The processing time depends on the individual case.

Fees

The costs depend on the processing effort.

Legal remedies

contradiction


suit

Legal basis

§ 2 ff. Federal Medical Code

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


Section 37 et seq. Licensing regulations for doctors

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