Comparison of Medical Education between Germany and Poland Considering Internal Medicine, General Medicine, and Anaesthesia

Abstract

With the continuing shortage of physicians in Germany, healthcare is increasingly being sustained by foreign physicians. The present paper addresses the comparability of medical education curricula in Germany and Poland and the qualification of physicians having Polish exams and specialist medical training for clinics and practices in Germany. The Medical Licensing Act and the Model Specialty Training Regulation of the German Medical Association were compared to the respective Polish regulations for medical education. In orienting surveys, physicians with Polish exams were questioned and they provided information regarding their current situation in German healthcare. Based on educational criteria, physicians with Polish exams and specialist training are well suited to work in medicine in Germany. They receive theoretical education comparable to that of German physicians; practical education during specialist medical training is more extensive in Germany. The survey could yield that Germany, as a job market, is very appealing for physicians with Polish exams. The primary reasons for this are better opportunities for training as well as better compensation. The solicitation of physicians equates to an economic loss for Poland. Nevertheless, the solicited physicians benefit from working in Germany. The European Union lacks common, detailed European standards for medical education.