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Doctor shortage in Perleberg: International doctors bring hope!
Many doctors with a migrant background work in the Prignitz district hospital. The focus is on the shortage of skilled workers and the recognition of foreign qualifications.
Doctor shortage in Perleberg: International doctors bring hope!
The Prignitz District Hospital in Perleberg is a living example of the opportunities that a diverse workforce brings with it. With a total of 1,150 employees, around half of whom have a migrant background, the hospital shows how important international exchange is in the healthcare sector. These doctors come from 30 different nations and bring valuable perspectives to medical care, such as SVZ reported.
In the current situation we see that many of these doctors come from crisis areas. For example, doctors from Russia and Ukraine work together after fleeing military conflicts. In order to be able to practice in Germany, foreign doctors have to overcome a number of hurdles, such as obtaining a license to practice medicine. This requires, among other things, that the medical training complies with European standards and that a language certificate at least at B2 level be presented.
Hurdles in the recognition of qualifications
The recognition process can be lengthy: on average, it takes up to 15 months from the first contact to employment. This is particularly challenging for doctors who come from countries with war or compulsory military service, as obtaining the necessary documents is often problematic. Omar Homsy, a doctor from Syria who came to Germany in 2023, found the district hospital via the Internet and applied online, an option that more and more foreign professionals are using.
At the same time, there is a noticeable shortage of skilled workers in the nursing sector. The existing structures for recognizing foreign nursing staff are still being developed. Refugees from Ukraine, like nurse Maryna Vorowska, who also completed a psychology degree, are allowed to work in Germany immediately. She found support in having her qualifications recognized by the former pastor Annette Flade.
The situation on the labor market
The shortage of skilled workers is not a new phenomenon. Germany is dependent on foreign workers, especially qualified specialists. According to the bpb In 2022, around 73,000 third-country nationals came with the aim of working here. Immigration has reached a new level, particularly as a result of the Skilled Immigration Act 2023, which makes recruitment easier. Citizens from the EU can settle easily, while third countries require a work permit.
There is also an acute shortage of doctors in the medical sector. In 2023, 64,000 doctors in Germany were of foreign origin—more than one in seven doctors Deutschlandfunk determines. This number has more than doubled in the last ten years. Despite these developments, a shortage of 30,000 to 50,000 doctors is forecast by 2040. Foreign doctors who want to work in Germany often have to take a knowledge test to check their professional competence.
With these challenges in mind, hospital management and recruiters are optimistic. They hope to simplify and shorten the approval process for foreign skilled workers in order not only to combat the shortage of skilled workers in the healthcare sector, but also to meet the needs of the aging population. In order to ensure long-term health care, suitable solutions must be found.