Become a doctor

The medical profession is one of the most sought-after professions. This is certainly partly due to the high salary and the prestige that doctors enjoy in our society, but the motivation of most students is also to help patients. However, there is a long road ahead of working as a doctor, which begins with medical school.

The different stages in the training of a doctor

Becoming a doctor is by no means easy. After graduating from high school, you first have to complete a demanding six-year degree programme. You have to invest a lot of time in studying, which is why a high level of motivation is a prerequisite for aspiring doctors.

If you pass the state examination following your studies, you can already practise as a doctor. You now have the opportunity to specialise further, which involves more demanding tasks and a higher salary. We will now explain the individual stages of medical training in more detail.

Study of human medicine

Once you have achieved your first goal and have been accepted to study medicine, your medical training begins with the medical degree programme. Here you will gain important knowledge about the human body and its functions. The degree programme is essentially divided into the following four sections:

1) Preclinic

The pre-clinical phase is the first stage for prospective doctors at the university. It comprises the first four semesters. Here you will be taught basic knowledge of anatomy, biochemistry and physiology. You will need this later as a doctor in order to understand patients' illnesses, make diagnoses and find the best possible treatment options. In addition to these core subjects, there are also other important subjects that are taught in the pre-clinical phase, such as histology, medical psychology and sociology, medical terminology and physics for doctors. It is important to note that the exact range of subjects and specialisations may vary slightly depending on the university.

2.) Clinic

During the clinical phase, which begins in the fifth semester, you will gain an insight into each individual specialism. The most important subjects here include:

• Surgery
• Internal medicine
• Neurology
• Gynaecology
• Radiology
• Paediatrics
• Ear, nose and throat medicine (ENT)
• Forensic medicine
• Psychiatry
• Pathology
• Ophthalmology
• Emergency and intensive care medicine

The clinical section is more practical than the pre-clinical part. You have regular Contact with patients and have to complete several internships - the so-called clinical traineeships.

3) Practical year (PJ)

During your final year, you will work closely with patients under the supervision of experienced doctors. This part of your medical degree programme lasts a total of 48 weeks and is divided into three parts:

• For 16 weeks you will work at a clinic for internal medicine.
• For a further 16 weeks, you will complete your final year in a hospital in the surgical department.
• You can choose the last area, which comprises a further 16 weeks, yourself. It is a good idea to choose a speciality in which you are already very interested in order to gain deeper insights and possibly be able to make better decisions for later training as a specialist.

4) State examination

The final and biggest exam of your medical degree programme takes place after the final year: the state examination. In a written and an oral part, you have to prove that you fulfil all the requirements to be able to work as a doctor in a clinic.

Once you have passed your exams, you can look for a job as a junior doctor. This not only marks the end of your long and strenuous studies, but you will also finally receive a salary for your work.

Training as a medical specialist

You do not need a specialist title to work as a doctor. However, many doctors still decide to start such further training shortly after completing their studies. After all, training as a medical specialist offers attractive career prospects and a correspondingly higher salary.

During your specialist training, you will work as a junior doctor and deepen your knowledge in your chosen speciality. Depending on the specialism, further training lasts between four and six years on average. 

Further specialisations

After your specialist training, you will regularly have further training opportunities and can specialise in certain areas of medicine. Such advanced qualifications improve your career opportunities and give you even deeper insights into specialised medical fields. Particularly if you have specific interests, you can pursue these through targeted further training.

For a good doctor, learning is never finished

A good doctor knows that learning never stops. There is a constant stream of new research and medical techniques are constantly evolving. Doctors therefore need to keep abreast of the latest information in order to stay up to date and fulfil all the requirements of this demanding job.

Regardless of whether you work in a hospital or in your own practice, it is worth attending conferences and other further training courses regularly, because as a doctor you have chosen a profession that requires lifelong learning.

What does a doctor's job involve?

The job of a doctor is varied and demanding. In addition to diagnosing and treating patients, it also involves preventative measures and health counselling. A doctor must be well versed in both basic medical principles and, if necessary, their speciality, and undergo regular further training.

A significant part of a doctor's work also consists of documentation and organisational tasks. During working hours, a doctor finalises invoices for the health insurance company, among other things, and often has to deal with bureaucratic hurdles.

Where can you work as a doctor?

A career as a doctor can be varied. It is common to start as a junior doctor in a hospital and then acquire a specialist title through further training. You can then pursue a further career at the hospital or set up your own practice.

However, there are numerous other opportunities that you should also be aware of as a doctor. For example, a career in research is also possible. Employers such as the health authorities or international organisations are also regularly looking for doctors to work for them in an advisory capacity or in various practical areas.

You must fulfil these requirements to become a doctor

To become a doctor, you must Study medicine. As the allocation of study places is subject to a Numerus Clausus (NC), a very good Abitur is an advantage. In principle, however, it is even possible to study medicine without an Abitur if certain other requirements are met.

The first big challenge: getting a place at university

Study places for human medicine are allocated by the Foundation for University Admissions. The fact that there are significantly more applicants than study places means that many young people do not receive a place to study medicine every year.

30 % of the places are allocated on the basis of the best A-levels quota. This quota also gives rise to the frequently mentioned and feared numerus clausus (NC). This value describes the Abitur grade of the applicant who received the last of the study places allocated via the Abitur best quota.

A further 10 % of places are allocated via the additional aptitude quota. The remaining 60 % are allocated in the selection procedure of the universities. 

Opportunities to improve your chances of getting a place at university

While in Austria, for example, you not only have to pass the Matura, but also a medical entrance test for both human medicine (MedAT-H) and dentistry (MedAT-Z), there are no such compulsory tests in Germany. However, you still have the opportunity to prove your aptitude for studying and working as a doctor by taking a so-called aptitude test.

For the additional aptitude quota and the selection procedures of many universities, the test for medical degree programmes (TMS). You can take this test at numerous locations throughout Germany on set dates for a fee of 100 euros. The Hamburg Natural Science Test (HAM-Nat) is another study aptitude test that is also taken into account by many universities.

Once you have completed the relevant tests, you can submit the results with your application via the Foundation for University Admissions. Good results increase your chances of being able to study and become a doctor. Negative effects due to poor test results, on the other hand, are not possible. 

Personal aptitude for the medical profession

Becoming a good doctor requires more than just specialised knowledge. Certain personal qualities are essential. It is therefore important that you fulfil the following requirements.

• Empathy for patients and relatives
• Communicative skills
• Ability to work in a team
• Sense of responsibility
• Load capacity
• Analytical thinking
• Patience and perseverance
• Passion for medicine

These qualities are essential for a doctor to be able to carry out examinations conscientiously and really help patients with their treatment. The job description of a doctor is complex and includes a multi-layered human component.

Study places for human medicine are scarce in Germany

As we have already shown, there are far more applicants for medical studies than there are places available at the universities, despite the long training period and the significantly higher workload compared to other professions.

However, if you really want to become a doctor, you don't have to give up on your dream if you don't get a place on your first attempt. In particular, you have the opportunity to acquire additional qualifications that will give you a better chance when you next apply. Private universities or studying medicine abroad can also be a solution.

Studying medicine abroad as an alternative?

Studying abroad is a real alternative for many people who cannot get a place at a German university, even though they may have dreamed of becoming a doctor all their lives.

Universities abroad often do not have a strict numerus clausus. Instead, places are allocated on the basis of individual procedures. After all, your A-levels grade says nothing about how good you will be as a doctor later on.

It is of course a far-reaching decision to study far away from home, especially as the tuition fees are higher than in Germany. In view of the fact that your income as a doctor is likely to be comparatively high and that you can complete more years of your career by starting your studies early, this decision may be financially worthwhile.

Studying abroad can also strengthen your profile as a doctor and give you valuable intercultural experience. After graduating, you can work in many countries or come back to Germany and start your professional life as an internationally experienced doctor.

What is the salary as a doctor?

The salary of a doctor varies depending on professional experience, specialist training and place of work. When starting their careers in hospitals, doctors often earn between 4,500 and 6,000 euros gross per month. With increasing experience and additional qualifications, income can then rise significantly.

Specialists and senior physicians earn higher salaries, often between 7,000 and 10,000 euros per month. Doctors with their own practice can increase their income further, depending on the number of patients and the type of examinations and treatments carried out. However, it is important to bear in mind that having your own practice can also entail corresponding expenses and financial risks.

Although there are - as in every profession - significant differences in the income of different doctors, it can generally be said that the medical profession is one of the best-paid professions in Germany. You have earned this after a long course of study and passing your exams.

Alternatives to becoming a doctor and studying medicine

If you are enthusiastic about becoming a doctor and are highly motivated to master the difficult degree programme, you should pursue this dream and exhaust all possibilities. However, it is important to admit to yourself if the challenges are too great or if you are ultimately more interested in another area. There are numerous interesting professions that will also allow you to take on responsibility in a hospital or in the healthcare sector later on.

Other medical degree programmes

If you are interested in the medical field, studying medicine is not the only option. In addition to the medical degree programmes in dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine, which are also subject to a numerus clausus, it can also be worthwhile to study nursing sciences or healthcare management, for example, which leads to a Bachelor's or Master's degree. With such a degree, you can work in management positions in the healthcare sector, for example.

Education

It doesn't always have to be a degree programme to work in an exciting medical profession. The corresponding training places are often much easier to get than a place on a degree programme in human medicine.

Training as a nurse, paramedic or physiotherapist can also help you to gain admission to medical studies after all. These and many other training programmes count towards the additional aptitude quota as well as in the university selection process and significantly increase your chances.

Many doctors have completed an apprenticeship before their studies and can confirm that deviating from the "traditional" path can be a real advantage. The content learnt during training can help you to better understand the subject matter and relate it directly to practical examples and diagnoses.