New opportunities for foreign doctors in Saxony

Since the beginning of this year, foreign doctors with a professional license in Saxony have been able to work as training assistants even before being granted a state license. According to the Saxon Ministry of Health, this also applies to the outpatient sector, meaning that they can work in medical practices with all the rights and obligations of a training assistant. This regulation was agreed in consultation with the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Saxony (KV Sachsen) and the Saxon State Medical Association.

Language competence meets practical experience

"The new regulation is a further measure to attract doctors to provide medical care in a practice in the underserved areas of the Free State and in this way ensure the future care of the Saxon population," said Health Minister Petra Köpping. The SPD politician said that doctors who are still in the licensing process - i.e. the approval procedure - can gain valuable insights into everyday practice in this way and at the same time improve their professional language skills.

"By introducing this directive, we have added great value both for the Saxon population and for foreign general practitioners and specialists with a professional license," said Köpping. The regulation makes it easier to obtain a license to practice and at the same time enables targeted recruitment for the outpatient sector - namely where they are urgently needed by patients.

Hurdles on the way to a license to practice

Foreign doctors who have completed their training in Saxony must pass a specialist language examination at the Saxon State Medical Association in order to obtain a two-year professional license from the Saxony State Directorate. This enables them to meet the requirements for a license to practice medicine. Further specialist training can only be started after obtaining the license to practice medicine.