Germany Lists 4 Requirements Foreign Doctors Must Meet to Practise Medicine in the Country

• Germany requires foreign-trained doctors to obtain an official licence called Approbation before they can treat patients in the country
• Foreign doctors must prove physical fitness, personal suitability, and German language proficiency to qualify for the licence
• A minimum language level of B2 is required across all federal states, with most also demanding a specialised medical language test at C1 level

Germany has outlined the conditions that doctors trained outside the country must satisfy before they are permitted to practise medicine within its borders.

According to Germany's official Make It in Germany portal, any doctor who completed their medical education abroad must first obtain an Approbation, which is the country's official and unrestricted licence to practise medicine.

Without it, a foreign-trained doctor cannot work as an on-duty physician and treat patients in Germany.

Requirements to practice medicine in Germany

1. Obtain an Approbation

To secure the Approbation, a foreign doctor's training must be assessed and found equivalent to the standard German medical education programme. The authority responsible for this assessment varies by location, as each of Germany's federal states has its own medical licensing body. The German Medical Association and a tool known as the Recognition Finder both provide lists of the relevant authorities.

2. Proof of physical fitness

Beyond academic equivalence, applicants must also submit proof of physical fitness, which can be a medical certificate obtained either in their home country or in Germany.

3. Good conduct

Personal suitability must also be demonstrated through a certificate of good conduct from the applicant's home country or a German certificate of conduct known as a Führungszeugnis.

4. Language proficiency

Language proficiency is another key hurdle. All federal states in Germany require a minimum general language level of B2 under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. However, most states go further, also requiring a specialised medical language test set at C1 level. Information on the specific language requirements for each federal state is published by the Marburger Bund, the association representing employed doctors in Germany.

The requirements reflect Germany's position as one of the top destinations for internationally trained medical professionals, given the country's ongoing demand for doctors across its healthcare system.

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