FAQ – Become a doctor in Germany

The name of our community means in German: “Specialist Now”. It includes >120 groups on Facebook and Telegram for everything related to work and medical residency in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. We learn together and help each other. All content on our website and groups is free and will remain free.

For your general questions, interactive learning, and the latest updates, join now (🇩🇪 JETZT) through the following link all Telegram groups of “Facharzt JETZT”. Also, join now our main Facebook group.

Links to all groups on Facebook and Telegram by specialty: Link.

We present to you one of the most important articles on the site. Through ten simplified steps, we explained the steps for obtaining a German permanent medical license, or the so-called (🇩🇪 Approbation), and how to start a medical residency in Germany and earn money.

Link to a detailed article in: English and Arabic.

Studying medicine in Germany lasts 5 years.

Link to a detailed article in: English and Arabic.

There are big differences between medical specialization and working as a doctor in Germany and America, especially the need to learn a new language, the possibility of obtaining rare specialties, and income. What is also certain is that which “country” is better depends on your life goals and what you like or dislike (For example, learning a new language 😅). Therefore, the answer is individual, and you can determine that for yourself after reading our article on this topic.

Link to a detailed article in: English and Arabic.

There are big differences, which we explain using a simple table.

Link to a detailed article in: English.

I am a neurologist, and I learned about the possibility of specialization in Germany exactly in the first month after I graduated from medical school in 2013. This question was always repeated in 2013 and throughout all the past years, in many forms. The short answer to this question is: the shortage still exists and it is huge!

Link to a detailed article in: English and Arabic.

The number of years of medical residency in Germany, depends on the specialty. We wrote the duration each medical residency in Germany in a detailed article.

Link to a detailed article in: English and Arabic.

There are more than 45 medical specialties in Germany, and we have a Facebook group for each of them, and most of them also have a Telegram group. 😊 For more information about the names of these specializations and the duration of specialization in them.

Link to a detailed article in: English and Arabic.

The answer depends mainly on the country and university in which you studied medicine (and not on your nationality), as this will determine whether you will obtain Gleichwertigkeit and avoid the Medical Knowledge Exam.

Link to a detailed article in: English.

The cost of medical specialization in Germany depends mainly on whether your medical degree is recognized, whether you arrive in Germany with an advanced level of the German language, and of course on how quickly you get your first job.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

No! Since 2010, age has no longer played a role due to the shortage of doctors and many lawsuits. References: link.

Yes. So we have prepared a list for you of the most common German words that are used on Facebook and Telegram. 😊

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

We summarized it in the most detailed article on the Internet. Please pay attention to all the details mentioned (for example, the issue of the validity of documents, authentication, and translation). It is preferable to ask more than once in our main group on Facebook in case you do not understand any point, as any mistake in the documents may destroy your chances of working in Germany, or delay your request for months or years. You must also read the instructions on the websites of the Approbation authorities, and they are the instructions that you must use in the end, regardless of what Facharzt JETZT or any website in the world tells you.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

We wrote this in the tables in the article required documents to apply for Approbation in Germany. The answers to the rest of the questions are long and therefore are written in a separate article.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

There is a common mistake that the legalization of a lawyer (🇩🇪 der Notar) in Germany replaces the legalization of the German embassy or the apostille stamp (countries of the former Soviet Union). This article on the Facharzt JETZT website explains what legalization is and when you should obtain it from either of the two places mentioned above or just make “certified copies” in Germany (which does not mean authenticating the original documents themselves). Authentication is never wrong.

If you are not sure whether a particular document should be authenticated or not, do so because authentication is never a mistake. But lack of certification can cause major problems and a delay in your application for months will almost certainly lead to not obtaining a Gleich (if that is possible for graduates of your university). Documents “can” only be accepted with the attestation of the relevant ministries in the country of issuance of these documents without the attestation of the German embassy in that country or the apostille stamp. But to apply for Gleich, the documents must be certified, otherwise you cannot apply for it.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

The translation of the word is symmetry or equality, and in the context of foreign doctors applying for a permanent medical license in Germany, the word “Gleich” means that after studying (🇩🇪 Die Gleichwertigkeitsprüfung) the study plan (🇩🇪 der Curriculum) and the practical experiences of the foreign doctor who applied for permanent medical license study in Germany (🇩🇪 die Approbation). So it has been found that it is similar to what medical students study in Germany. Therefore, a doctor’s bachelor’s degree is considered “similar” to German graduates. In this case, the doctor only needs to take Fachsprachenprüfung (FSP) – The Medical Language Exam and is exempt. One of the exams that requires a long preparation period is the Medical Knowledge Exam (die Kenntnisprüfung – KP).

link to a detailed article in: Arabic.

You can apply for a permanent medical license in the 16 medical license authorities. There is one medical authority in each of the 16 German states.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

If your university degree is recognized, this means that you will receive a Gleich (detailed article). Obtaining the medical license/gleich depends on your country and the university where you studied medicine, not on your nationality. To know whether your university degree will be recognized, we created a small algorithm for that.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

If you have worked outside Germany after the internship year, you must obtain work certificates. The importance of work certificates in Germany:
(1) Recognition of university studies (die Gleichwertigkeit).
(2) Applying for a job or medical training.
(3) Get a higher salary.
(4) Reducing the number of years of specialization/residence Facharztausbildung.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

The internship year is the year of training after graduating from medical school. So it is necessary for your medical degree to be recognized, and there is no exception. It must be done either in your home country or the country of study of medicine. Its duration must also be at least 12 months.

link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

We wrote this detailed article for Ukrainian graduates without an internship year in: Arabic and English.

Yes, part of it can be done in Germany, but you must know a very important thing, which is that the most important point is for your country to recognize these months/years. We wrote all the details about this, in addition to the pros and cons of working for an internship in Germany.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic.

In the event of not obtaining Gleich (non-recognition of a medical school certificate), it is possible to obtain a temporary medical license until taking the medical knowledge exam (die Kenntnisprüfung), and to obtain a permanent medical license (die Approbation). However, there are big differences between permanent and temporary medical licenses.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Simply put, it is an exam aimed at testing the foreign doctor’s linguistic knowledge of German medical words and his ability to take a medical history, talk to patients and deal with them, in addition to the ability to summarize the medical history using medical terminology.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

You can through a language institute, but there are now dozens of free online alternatives, and there are some doctors who prepare the exam from outside Germany and come directly to Germany to take it. You can also do that. how?

For further information:

– Article in English and Arabic.
– An article by Dr. Eid Abu Eid in: Arabic, about preparing for the exam in Dusseldorf, but the tips and books mentioned in the article can be used in all Approbation authorities.
– Article in Arabic about preparing for the exam by Dr. Eid Abu Eid in: Arabic.

It is an exam that tests your general medical knowledge, often only oral, but in some equivalency jurisdictions it has a practical part (taking a medical history and performing a physical examination), there are no multiple choice questions (MCQs).

Most of the exam is in internal medicine and surgery, and each medical licensing authority has its own rules and topics for the exam.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

In most German universities, doctors can enter directly into a doctoral program without having to do a master’s degree. If you decide to choose the academic path, you do not need to obtain an application.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Yes, but the first two steps are to obtain a permanent medical license (appropriation) and the title of doctor (Dr. med.).

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Two types of visa can be applied to come to Germany to stay for more than 3 months: 16f and 16d. So what is the difference between them and what are the conditions for obtaining them?

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

You should pass the exams required of you and start working as a doctor because in this case, you can bring your wife and all your children without the need for a closed bank account for each of them (the value of the closed bank account for the husband/wife is more than 12 thousand euros, and the value for the children is the same).

Most immigration authorities require that you have completed the probationary period (which is the first six months of any employment contract in Germany). But there is good news. If you prove your presence in the hospital, you can ask the head of the department after two months to agree for you to end the training period so that you can bring your wife and children.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic.

We summarized the documents required for a visa in one article. 😊🥳

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

For any foreign doctor to come to Germany, he must provide guarantees to the German embassy that he can finance himself in Germany. One method of proof is financial guarantee.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

A closed bank account is an amount required by foreigners offices in Germany to prove that the doctor can bear the costs of monthly expenses during the period of stay in Germany. The amount is deposited in a specific bank account, and this account is called the “closed bank account.”

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

There are two popular banks that most people deal with.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Opening a bank account is not easy.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic.

It is a training period in the hospital for students or graduates of medical schools. Training can be for one month or up to months. The training period is usually free. But in some cases, you get free accommodation (or for a small price of money). One of the many benefits of Hospitation is obtaining a visa.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

The traditional way is through correspondence or the easier way is through connections.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Of course not! It is a positive thing, but not very important. You can practice the German language through Telegram groups and have online discussions. Join the Simulation group in the medical language exam group from Facharzt JETZT: link. Obtaining a Hospitation without acquaintances is difficult and expensive. For more ideas, read this beautiful article from Dr. Eid Abu Eid.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

We have collected for you the most frequently asked questions in interviews. So write down the answers to them and practice them because this will definitely make them think that you speak German better than your real level.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Yes, and it conforms to the CV requirements required by authorities in Germany or Switzerland. In the article, we wrote to you about things that you should pay close attention to when preparing your CV.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Many hospitals are looking for doctors who have or are close to obtaining their Approbation, and they are looking for talented individuals like you! Why waste your time and money researching and conducting numerous interviews? 🤔
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In the following article, we explain the steps you must follow after accepting a job, in addition to all the documents required of you.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Yes, you can work in mini-job, which means you can work for a certain numbers of hours per week, but not as a doctor.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Of course, it is true.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

More important than studying to learn a new language, is to understand how humans learn a new language and through that, you can learn languages in a faster and more effective way. There is a lot of research and experience on the topic. First, learn how to learn. 😊💡 Learn smart, not too much. 🧠

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Yes, there are a lot of them. There are even experiences of some people who were able to learn new languages without a teacher. So, with technology and the presence of many influencers on social networks and German government authorities that provide learning the German language, the topic is very easy. We recommend a combination of learning through a language school and most importantly self-learning.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

The period depends on several factors, the most important of which are: the number of hours of your daily studies, if you are ready to change your lifestyle to learn the German language not only in the language school, and if you are fluent in the English language.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Certainly. For example, you can watch movies and news in German. Listening to songs and reading their translated texts can also make learning fun

link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

After you arrive to Germany, There are many sources for learning.

link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Through free nature walking activities, you can also learn the German language.

Link to a detailed article in: English.

In a detailed article, we explain the reasons and factors that make learning the German language easy and the reasons that make learning it difficult. Taking all these reasons and factors into consideration, we believe that learning German for an English speaker is easy. For those who speak a little English, learning German is certainly easier than learning a language like Chinese or Greek.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic and English.

Finding housing in Germany is not easy, but it is certainly not as difficult as finding housing in New York or Hong Kong. We offer you many tips to find housing quickly.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic.

Everyone living in Germany must officially register their residence. Plus you can’t do many things without it.

Link to a detailed article in: Arabic.

The German Board is recognized in all countries of the European Union and the European Common Market (such as Switzerland and Norway). You can also work in Britain and the United Kingdom in general. You can also work in the Arab Gulf countries without any exams.

In the Arab Gulf countries, you will most likely be recognized as a consultant after 3 years of experience working as a specialist in Germany.

The German Board is not recognized in Canada and America, and equivalency exams must be taken in these countries from the beginning.

The German Board can be equivalent in Australia and New Zealand.

Link to a detailed article in: English.

You just need to pass the OET (Occupational English Test) and a set of documents. The steps are easy.

Link to a detailed article in: English.