The German Federal Minister of Health, Carsten Linnemann (CDU), plans to speed up the integration of foreign doctors and pharmacists into the German healthcare system. According to reporting by Spiegel, a corresponding ministerial regulation is anticipated to come into effect in November.
Linnemann stated that Germany cannot let bureaucracy impede efforts to attract skilled professionals to its healthcare system. The proposed measures aim to simplify the recognition of foreign qualifications for physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and midwives, while also establishing uniform regulations across the country. These changes include requiring authorities to accept documents written in English and ensuring that the entire application process is digitized. The Minister stressed that these improvements will benefit the skilled workers, the healthcare system, and, most importantly, the patients.
This push comes as Germany faces significant shortages in the medical field. The Central Institute for Statutory Health Care Provision estimates that approximately 50,000 doctors will be missing in Germany by 2040, particularly in rural areas. Furthermore, a survey by DAK Gesundheit indicates that over one-third of Germans currently experience a doctor shortage in their region.
The plan also provides for an exceptional circumstance: those who have begun medical or pharmaceutical studies abroad may be allowed to continue and complete their education in Germany. This measure is expected to ease the path to accreditation for professionals, such as those coming from Ukraine.
Linnemann’s regulation supplements an existing law aimed at accelerating the recognition of foreign professional qualifications in healthcare. The Bundesrat is scheduled to review this new regulation on October 16.
