☝️ The most important facts in brief
- The PJ expense allowance is an internship allowance for medical students in their practical year of medical studies.
- The amount of the PJ salary varies considerably depending on the federal state and clinic.
- Many students choose a teaching hospital outside their place of study or abroad for their final year in order to benefit from higher remuneration.
- The outflow for the final year is even more pronounced in the field of surgery than in internal medicine.
📖 Table of contents
As a prospective doctor in the practical year (PJ), you are entitled to an allowance, also known as PJ salary or PJ remuneration. This internship allowance is intended to cover your living costs during the PJ and is generally taxable but exempt from social security contributions. However, the amount of the PJ allowance varies considerably depending on the federal state and clinic.
Many medical students therefore consciously decide in favour of a teaching hospital outside their place of study or even an internship year abroad in order to benefit from higher remuneration. Especially in the speciality Surgery the migration for the final year is even more pronounced than in internal medicine. But what is the average PJ salary and how much can you expect to be paid in different clinics?
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Differences in PJ remuneration: an overview by federal state and hospital
PJ remuneration varies greatly depending on the hospital and federal state. While some teaching hospitals pay up to 861 euros per month, some university hospitals only offer a small allowance (or none at all and only lunch, for example). According to the Hartmannbund's PJ Barometer 2023, the majority of PJ students receive between 301 and 649 euros per month during their studies. However, there is no standardised nationwide regulation on the amount of PJ remuneration.
Comparison of expense allowances in university hospitals and teaching hospitals
A look at PJ remuneration shows clear differences between university hospitals and teaching hospitals. While university hospitals often only pay a small allowance, many teaching hospitals offer attractive remuneration. For example, PJ students at the Rhein-Mosel-Fachklinik Andernach and the Rheinhessen-Fachklinik Alzey receive 861 euros per month. The Sana Kliniken Niederlausitz and the DRK-Krankenhaus Mölln-Ratzeburg are also well above the average at 812 and 800 euros respectively.
PJ salary: Overview of the top hospitals with the highest remuneration
Clinic | Location | Federal state | Remuneration/month | University affiliation |
Rhein-Mosel-Fachklinik Andernach, Rheinhessen-Fachklinik Alzey | Andernach, Alzey | Rhineland-Palatinate | 861 € | Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz |
Sana Clinics Niederlausitz | Senftenberg, Lauchhammer | Brandenburg | 812 € | Brandenburg Medical School "Theodor Fontane" |
DRK Hospital Mölln-Ratzeburg | Mölln, Ratzeburg | Schleswig-Holstein | 800 € | University of Lübeck |
Caritas Hospital Bad Mergentheim | Bad Mergentheim | Bavaria | 784 € | Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg |
Nils Stensen Clinics Marienhospital Osnabrück | Osnabrück | Lower Saxony | 752 € | Hanover Medical School |
In addition to these top clinics from our list of expense allowances, there are other teaching hospitals that offer their PJ students attractive remuneration. For example, Wolfsburg Hospital pays 744 euros per month and Helios Hospital Gotha 700 euros. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the average PJ remuneration is well below the required BAföG maximum rate.
Legal basis and crediting of PJ remuneration
The expense allowance that you receive as a PJ student in hospitals or teaching clinics is not legally considered remuneration in the sense of a salary. Rather, it is a type of internship allowance that is paid as part of the medical degree programme. According to the current licensing regulations for doctors, you are entitled to "appropriate remuneration" for your work during the tertial, although no exact amount is specified.
Regardless of the amount of the PJ remuneration, it is always subject to tax. As a rule, however, the payments are exempt from social security contributions as long as your work does not go beyond the intended training. An exception to this are the rules of some chamber districts, which stipulate a pension insurance obligation for pharmacists in their internship.
Whether and to what extent the PJ remuneration is offset against other benefits such as housing benefit or child benefit depends on the individual case. Factors such as the amount of the expense allowance, other income and the family situation play a role here. It is therefore not possible to make a generalised statement; instead, a case-by-case assessment is required.
The Hartmannbund is in favour of PJ students nationwide receiving remuneration at least equal to the maximum BAföG rate. This would not only improve the financial framework conditions in the PJ, but would also adequately honour the performance of the prospective doctors in patient care. However, a corresponding legal regulation is still pending.
BAföG and PJ expense allowance: What you need to consider
For many medical students, financial support through BAföG is an important part of financing their studies. However, if you receive an expense allowance during your practical year (PJ), there are a few things to bear in mind. The PJ allowance is generally regarded as income and can therefore affect your BAföG entitlement.
The average PJ allowance is currently 861 euros per month. This amount is below the current BAföG maximum rate of 934 euros. Nevertheless, the PJ allowance is categorised as a compulsory internship and is fully offset against the BAföG rate. In contrast to voluntary internships or part-time jobs, there is no allowance here. This means that your BAföG entitlement will be reduced by the amount of the expense allowance.
It is important to know that the PJ allowance is not a regular salary. PJ students do not have employee status and the clinics are not obliged to pay them. The exact amount of the allowance can vary depending on the federal state, region and hospital. While some university hospitals and teaching hospitals pay the recommended rate, other hospitals pay significantly less.
When choosing your PJ position, you should also consider other factors in addition to remuneration. The quality of the training, the opportunity to work in different specialist departments such as surgery or internal medicine and the supervision by experienced doctors also play an important role. A well-structured PJ in a teaching practice or an academic teaching hospital can optimally prepare you for your future work as a doctor.
The correct offsetting of PJ remuneration against BAföG can be complicated in individual cases. If you are unsure about how your expense allowance will be affected, you should talk to your BAföG office at an early stage. Special BAföG calculators can also give you an initial overview. In some circumstances, it may make sense to apply for a partial waiver of BAföG for the duration of your final year. This allows you to keep the full amount of the PJ allowance without reducing your BAföG entitlement.
Compensation for expenses in the PJ: current developments and demands
Current developments show that the situation regarding compensation for expenses during the practical year (PJ) is slowly improving. More and more hospitals are offering their PJ students appropriate remuneration, in some cases even over 500 euros per month. Nevertheless, there is still a need for action, as compensation is still at a low level, particularly at university hospitals and some teaching hospitals. The demand for nationwide standardised and fair payment, based on the traineeship, therefore remains.
In addition to financial compensation, there is also potential for improvement in other areas. For example, many PJ students would like better supervision and more structured teaching during their practical training. The deployment in non-specialist areas is also criticised. A reform of the medical licence regulations could provide a remedy here and define clearer regulations for the PJ, both in terms of remuneration and the quality of training.
Current survey results on the situation in the PJ
Surveys of PJ students confirm the need for action. Although the situation has improved compared to previous years, there are still major differences between hospitals. While some hospitals have moved up into the "premium class" and pay good salaries, many university hospitals are still in the "minimal class". The main specialities also perform differently: PJ students report problems more frequently in surgery than in internal medicine. In order to guarantee a high quality of training and secure the next generation of doctors, fair conditions in the final year are essential - regardless of speciality or hospital provider.
It is to be hoped that the positive trend of recent years will continue and that the demands of PJ students will soon be met across the board. Because only with appropriate compensation, structured teaching and good supervision can the practical year live up to its name and optimally prepare students for their future medical work during their studies.
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