Urgently wanted: New pediatrician in Luckenwalde - Who's coming?

Urgently wanted: New pediatrician in Luckenwalde - Who's coming?

There is an urgent problem in Teltow-Fläming: an acute shortage of pediatricians. In Luckenwalde in particular, the search for a new pediatrician who could work at the local Richter Medical Care Center (MVZ) is in full swing. maep GmbH, under the leadership of managing director Mirko Pohl, has taken on the challenge of finding suitable candidates, but the situation is anything but easy. Many young doctors in the region are dissatisfied and at the same time the training situation in Brandenburg is suboptimal. Given the fact that the first years of medical studies are often completed in Berlin or Leipzig, only a few graduates stay in their home region.

One of the biggest hurdles is the long training to become a pediatrician, which takes five years and is only offered in a few clinics in Brandenburg. Many aspiring doctors want to live where they grew up, which further complicates the chances of finding jobs in Luckenwalde. “There is an appreciation of the medical profession in the region,” says Pohl optimistically, highlighting the good infrastructure, which is particularly impressive thanks to the rail connection to Berlin. Despite a variety of recruiting strategies aimed at primarily targeting doctors over the age of 45 without family obligations, two out of eight people interested in the advertised position in Luckenwalde have already declined.

Local healthcare

In addition to the efforts to find a new pediatrician, the Teltow location is also becoming increasingly important. Dr. Anne Reidemeister, a specialist in pediatric and adolescent medicine, has recently started taking care of the consultation hours in her practice. From September 8, 2025, it will be offering various consultation hours, including acute and appointment consultation hours, which make it easier for parents to see their children without long waiting times. Special attention is paid to the needs of infants and young people, for whom special consultation hours are provided.

The practice also has additional qualifications in allergology and pediatric pulmonology, which enriches the medical offering in Luckenwalde. Consultations can also be carried out via video consultation to make care flexible. Parents who value comprehensive care will certainly get their money's worth here.

Challenges and perspectives

Despite these positive developments, the search for a new pediatrician remains a challenge that could continue to exist in the future. “79 percent of doctors are dissatisfied with their job,” reports Pohl, emphasizing that many of them are not actively looking for a job. A third of the recruiting activities are concentrated in Brandenburg, while two thirds of the efforts continue to take place in Berlin. There is a fine line between the desire to attract doctors to the region and the widespread prejudices about life in Brandenburg.

“The quality of life in the region must be maintained,” adds Pohl, in order to create attractive conditions for medical professionals in the future. And while the search for the ideal candidate could take a few more weeks, he remains optimistic: “We have to keep at it!”

In the meantime, however, Luckenwalde is excited to see who will soon join the team and how the little ones' health care can be ensured. For families living in the region, it is more important than ever that qualified doctors are available.