Doctor with training from EU/EEA/Switzerland, professional qualification recognized

Application

You submit an application for a license to practice medicine to the competent authority. The application must be submitted electronically. The original documents must be presented at a personal appointment. The competent authority will inform you. The competent authority will then check whether your training corresponds to the German training and whether all other requirements have been met.

Automatic recognition

As a rule, the automatic recognition procedure applies if you began your vocational training after your country of training joined the EU/EEA. This means that if you also meet all other requirements, your professional qualification will be recognized without an individual equivalence assessment.

Certificate of conformity

Vocational training that you started before the EU/EEA accession of your country of training (or that does not correspond to the legal designations) can also be recognized automatically. To do so, you must submit a certificate from the competent authority in your country of training stating that your professional qualification meets the minimum EU standards ("certificate of conformity"). If your professional qualification does not meet the minimum standards, you must provide proof of your professional experience. You must have worked as a doctor in your country of origin for an uninterrupted period of 3 years in the 5 years prior to submitting your application. This must be confirmed by the competent authority in your country of origin.

Examination of equivalence

If you cannot present a certificate of conformity or do not have enough professional experience, your training must be checked individually. The competent authority will compare your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification. The competent body will check 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.

Possible results of the examination

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 provide proof of your language skills. You will then be granted a license to practice medicine.

Are there any significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification? You may be able to 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 country in which you acquired the knowledge or skills.

However, it is possible that the essential differences cannot be compensated for by this knowledge. The competent authority will tell you the main differences and why you cannot compensate for the main differences with your professional experience.

The decision of the competent authority 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.

Aptitude test

If your professional qualification is not equivalent and you cannot compensate for the differences, you can take an aptitude test. The aptitude test examines the main differences in your professional qualifications. The aptitude test is an oral and practical examination.

If you pass the aptitude test and meet all other requirements, you will be licensed to practice medicine.

More information

Legal remedy

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

• You only need to submit the following document if you completed your vocational qualification before a specific date (cut-off date). The relevant authority will inform you:
  
  • A certificate in accordance with Section 14b of the Federal Medical Regulations, confirming that the applicant has actually and lawfully practised the medical profession for at least three years without interruption during the five years preceding the issue of the certificate.
• You will usually submit these documents at a later date. The relevant authority will let you know when you should submit the documents:
  
  • Proof of your medical fitness: a doctor’s certificate. The certificate must not be more than 3 months old at the time of application.
  • Proof of your German language skills: Language certificate.
  • The requirement for submitting an application – and thus for taking the specialist language examination – is a language proficiency level of B2.
  • The requirement for the granting of a licence to practise medicine is a pass in the specialist language examination at C1 level.
• The relevant authority will inform you which documents you need to submit as a simple copy, a certified copy or the original.
  

  If your documents are not in German, you must submit German translations of them. The translations must be carried out by translators who are officially appointed or authorised.

• The relevant authority will let you know which documents you need to submit. Generally speaking, the key documents are:
  
  • Proof of identity (identity card or passport)
  • Marriage certificate (if your name has changed as a result of marriage)
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Proof of education
  • Evidence of the content of your training: a list of the subjects studied and the number of training hours you have completed
  • Evidence of your relevant professional experience as a doctor 
  • Information on whether you have already applied for a licence to practise medicine in Germany
  • Do you not yet live or work in Germany? If so, you may need to provide evidence that you intend to practise your profession in Germany. Examples of such evidence include job applications, invitations to interviews, or a personal statement
  • Certificate of conformity
  • Proof of your personal suitability: a criminal record extract or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin. The document must not be more than 3 months old at the time of application.

• Recognition of foreign professional qualifications - Doctor
  

• Services and Forms – The Senator for Health, Women and Consumer Protection (bremen.de)
  

The responsible office will inform you of the costs. The costs generally depend on the time and effort required for processing.

Additional costs may be incurred (e.g. for translations or notarizations). These costs vary from case to case.

What deadlines must be paid attention to?

None.

Sometimes documents are still missing from the procedure. The responsible office will then inform you by when you must submit the documents. This may prolong the procedure.

How long does it take to process

Depending on the individual case.

• § 2 ff. Bundesärzteordnung
• § 36 ff. Approbationsordnung für Ärzte
• § 2 et seq. of the Federal Medical Regulations
• Section 36 et seq. of the Regulations Governing the Licensing of Doctors

• Informationsseite der Senatorin für Gesundheit, Frauen und Verbraucherschutz in Bremen
• Stichtage in der Bundesärzteordnung
• Informationen zur Anerkennung ausländischer Berufsqualifikationen auf dem Portal Anerkennung in Deutschland
• Finanzielle Hilfen für das Anerkennungsverfahren
• Öffentlich bestellte Übersetzerinnen und Übersetzer in Deutschland
• Gemeinsamer Europäischer Referenzrahmen für Sprachen (GER)
• Verfahren nach dem Bundesvertriebenengesetz
• Sworn translators in Germany
• Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
• Information page of the Senator for Health, Women and Consumer Protection in Bremen
• Information on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications on the ‘Recognition in Germany’ portal
• Financial assistance for the recognition procedure
• Key dates in the Federal Medical Regulations
• Procedures under the Federal Displaced Persons Act