First Hungarian graduate fights against shortage of doctors in Zwickau!

First Hungarian graduate fights against shortage of doctors in Zwickau!

There is now positive news in the fight against the shortage of doctors in Saxony. Maximilian Braun, the first medical graduate from the University of Pécs in Hungary, started working as a family doctor in Zwickau. This is not only a personal success for the 32-year-old, but also an important step towards improving medical care in the region. Health Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) emphasizes the importance of ensuring long-term medical care, especially in view of the long training periods that are urgently needed to meet the need. Diesachsen.de reports that over 370 family doctor positions are unfilled in Saxony, with an acute shortage, especially in rural areas.

The situation will become more tense in the next few years, as around 30 percent of the currently practicing general practitioners in Saxony are over 60 years old and will soon retire. These demographic changes highlight the urgent need for practice successors. The “Studying in Europe – Future in Saxony” project, which has existed since 2013, aims to counteract the shortage of doctors. Every year, 40 study places are offered for a German-language medical course at the University of Pécs, and funding is provided by the Saxony Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, the Saxon health insurance companies and the state.

Details about the study program

Applicants for the program must have a high school average of 2.6 or better and commit to working as a family doctor in underserved regions in Saxony for at least five years after graduation. This excludes the cities of Leipzig, Markkleeberg, Dresden and Radebeul. The tuition fees of 7,800 euros per semester are borne by various institutions. There are currently 213 participants in the program, including 164 who are still studying. Since 2019, 49 graduates have returned to Saxony to complete their further training in the field of general medicine. Nevertheless, there were also some dropouts, but the program is already starting to bear fruit.

The minister describes the project as a crucial building block for ensuring future medical care in rural areas. In addition to the main program, there is the rural doctor program, which offers an additional 20 places for those interested without a high school diploma and requires participants to work as family doctors in underserved regions. There are also incentives for doctors who practice beyond retirement age. Innovative approaches such as telemedicine and mobile practices are also being tested to support rural medical care.

The need for doctors is growing

According to the 2019 Hospital Barometer, over 75 percent of the hospitals surveyed have difficulty filling open medical positions. By 2035, a shortage of around 11,000 general practitioners is forecast, affecting almost 40 percent of the districts in Germany. There are many reasons for the shortage of doctors, including the unattractive rural region and the high demands on training positions. The Master Plan for Medical Studies 2020 was launched to make general medicine more attractive and to increase the number of doctors in underserved areas. [DUZ.de].

The prospects for training medical students abroad are therefore crucial. In recent years, more and more young people have chosen the option of studying medicine in countries like Hungary. This trend is not only a response to the growing demand for study places in Germany, but also an opportunity for many to realize their dream of helping others as a doctor. The project in Saxony represents an important contribution to securing regional medical care and combating the impending shortage of doctors.