Single point of contact for professional recognition of physicians: General information

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for contacting the Single Point of Contact.

The following requirements must be met for your professional qualification to be recognized:

• They want to work as a doctor in Germany.
• They have a comparable professional qualification from abroad.
• Your professional qualification is equivalent. This means that there are no significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification.

Documents required

• Application
• Declaration regarding pending criminal and investigative proceedings
• A short, complete CV with date and signature, as well as a summary of professional experience.
• Birth certificate
• If applicable: marriage certificate or an extract from the family register
• Proof of identity (e.g., identity card, passport, travel document)
• Certificate(s) of training
• Proof of authorization to practice medicine without restrictions in the home country, issued by the competent authorities there (for example, a diploma)
• Certificate of Current Professional Status / Certificate of Good Standing from the competent authority(ies) of the country(ies) in which activities as a physician were last carried out.
• Proof of German language skills
• passed exam at level B2
• Proof of passing the specialist language examination at CEFR level C1
• Alternatively: Proof of dispensability (native speaker, education in German, 10 years of German schooling)

For training outside the European Union (EU), the following additional requirements apply:

• Previous professional activities
• Proof of previous professional experience
• Proof of advanced professional training
• Professional license certificate
• Overview of subjects and hours (per semester), which shows the subjects and hours actually taught, as well as the hours of practical training completed (for example, internship, traineeship, ordination) and the content of the state final examination.

Additionally, if requested:

• Official certificate of good conduct, type 0 (must not be older than 3 months at the time of licensure)
• Medical certificate (must not be older than 3 months at the time of granting of the license)

Submit foreign certificates along with certified translations from a state-sworn translator. For training courses outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland, official documents must also be apostilled or legalized.

Please note

For the recognition of your foreign professional qualification, you can contact either the Single Point of Contact or the relevant authority directly. Further information can be found under "Links".

If you completed your education outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you will usually need an assessment of your qualification by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) in Bonn.

Deadlines

No

Procedure

• You submit the application and all required documents in the required form to the single point of contact.
• The single point of contact will forward your application to the relevant department.
• The responsible authority will check whether you meet all the requirements.
• The responsible authority will compare your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification.
• If your qualifications are deemed equivalent, please submit proof of your health, language skills, and personal suitability. Refer to the linked information sheet for further details.
• If your qualifications are not recognized as equivalent, you will complete an adaptation measure in the form of an aptitude test or an adaptation course. The responsible authority will provide you with more detailed information.

Processing time

The duration of the procedure depends on the individual case.

Fees

Fees for obtaining the license to practice: €130.00 - €360.00




Please note that additional fees may apply for printouts, equivalence assessments, professional licenses, language proficiency tests, expert opinions and/or knowledge assessments.

Legal remedies

Contradiction

Legal basis

Licensing regulations for physicians (AappO)


https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/_appro_2002/BJNR240500002.html


Federal Medical Code (BÄO)


https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/b_o/index.html#BJNR018570961BJNE000901307