Medical residency in Germany I : Requirements to work as a doctor
What do I need to enter the medical specialisation system in Germany?
Simple and clear: you need either the so-called "Approbation" or the "Berufserlaubnis". These are the 2 documents that allow you to practice medicine in Germany.
What are the differences between the "Approbation and the "Berufserlaubnis"?
- Approbation. Allows you to work all over Germany for an indefinite period of time. If you are EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you will get it after passing a language test. People not having studied in one of these countries will have to get first the Berufserlaubnis through a language test and then go through a general medicine knowledge test.
- Berufserlaubnis. Allows you to work in a specific hospital for a limited period of time. If you are a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland neither you need it nor you have the possibility to get it. As mentioned before, you will receive it after succesfully passing a language test.
How do I apply for the Approbation or the Berufserlaubnis?
The first thing that you should know is that the application is almost identical for both documents. After submitting by mail (not email) all the requested documents, you will be assigned a date for the language test. The notification may arrive in weeks or months, depending on the region. You will find a checklist of documents to submit in the website of each regional chamber of physicians (Ärztekammer) or equivalent institutions.
In my case it was the "NiZza (Niedersächsicher Zweckverband zur Approbationserteilung)":
By the way, in my case it took 4 months until I got a date for my exam. Therefore, it is important to choose carefully the region in which you are going to apply. Appart from that, the difficulty of the test varies depending on the region too. We will discuss this topic further in a future post.
Thanks for reading and until next time
Alvaro Bravo
Resident doctor around Europe
Facebook page: Médico en Luxemburgo
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