Social Authority

Apply for permission to practice medicine in the field of psychotherapy

Prerequisites

• You are at least 25 years old.
• You have at least a secondary school certificate or another equivalent school qualification.
• You are physically and mentally fit to practice medicine.
• You have the necessary reliability to practice the profession.
• You have your main residence in Hamburg or
• You have a workplace in Hamburg for which you need a permit and the workplace is
  • binding employment relationship with a regular working time of at least 19 hours per week or
  • Commercial premises rented by you with a rental period of at least 19 hours per week. If the lease is a sublease, you must also provide the owner's consent.

Documents required

• medical certificate
• Identification document (e.g. identity card or passport)
• If the identification document is not an identity card, additionally: registration certificate
• tabular CV
• Information from the Federal Central Register (Certificate of Conduct Document Type 0)
• Proof of successful school completion

You only need to apply for the medical certificate and the certificate of good conduct when the responsible authority requests it from you.

Please note

• In Hamburg, no issuance is possible based on the file status
• Fees will be charged for any adjustments.
• The professional title "psychotherapist" is protected. You are not permitted to use it as a naturopathic practitioner.

Deadlines

You can register for the written examination on the 3rd Wednesday in March of the following year during the registration period 1 July – 31 December


You can register for the written examination, which will take place on the second Wednesday in October of the same year, during the registration period from January 1st to June 30th.

Procedure

• You submit the application online and attach the required documents.
• You take part in the oral and written exam and complete it successfully.
• The responsible authority checks whether all requirements are met.
• If the verification is successful, you will be granted permission.

Processing time

The processing time depends on the individual case.

Fees

Costs vary and depend on the processing effort. The responsible office can provide you with more detailed information.

Legal remedies

• Contradiction


• administrative court action

Legal basis

Section 1 paragraph 2 of the Alternative Medicine Practitioners Act


https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/heilprg/HeilprG.pdf


First implementing regulation to the law on the professional practice of medicine without a license (Heilpraktikergesetz)


https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/heilprgdv_1/BJNR002590939.html


Guidelines for the examination of alternative practitioners


https://www.bundesanzeiger.de/pub/publication/d6Pk1lbZta8EPCulJuE?0=null