The questions we get most often

Yes, it really must be the diploma: the authority (in Berlin the LAGeSo) requires a certified copy of the original with a sworn translation; substitute certificates or downloaded documents with QR codes are rejected. If the diploma hasn't been issued yet: start the procedure anyway and hand it in later.

First the sworn translation (sworn translator — the list is on the Italian embassy in Berlin's site; the full package costs roughly €170–350), then the certified copy of original + translation (notary ~€10–12 per document, or Bürgeramt). Only certified copies are sent: never originals. From Italy, certifications are accepted only from a German consulate or embassy.

Both from the Italian Ministry of Health via PEC; they arrive in about 2–4 weeks. Never enrolled with the Ordine? Certificate of non-enrolment + certificate of conformity. Tip from the group: the criminal record requested from the court in Bolzano is issued directly in German — no translation needed.

No: the 3-month validity only counts at the moment of submitting the application, not when the procedure closes.

No — but you need a plan. To work you need the Fachsprachprüfung (medical C1), and realistically you get there from a solid B2. Many do their final course months in Germany, where immersion speeds everything up.

They are all recognised equally; in the group telc B2 is considered a bit more approachable than Goethe. Careful: the certificate must not be older than 3 years, otherwise it has to be retaken.

In Berlin, no: it is assessed as a normal B2 and the FSP at the Ärztekammer must still be taken (it counts as a substitute only in a few federal states). Recommendation: normal B2 + FSP.

Yes — the group's most repeated advice: send the documents you have right away; the B2 certificate can follow. That way the bureaucratic waiting runs in parallel with your studying.

As soon as the LAGeSo's confirmation of receipt arrives you can register with the Ärztekammer Berlin. Exam fee ~€550 (payable again if you fail); sessions are roughly monthly and the invitation arrives ~2 weeks before. You can decline one date and take the next at no extra cost.

Three parts of ~20 minutes: history-taking with an actor-patient, written documentation (in Berlin an ER-style protocol, not a real Arztbrief) and case presentation to a colleague using technical terms. Berlin is considered medium difficulty; an unofficial list of ~27 recurring cases circulates in the group (appendicitis, cholecystitis, pneumonia, DVT…). Results arrive in ~10 days by email.

Not mandatory — some pass self-taught in 1–3 months — but most recommend one. Most cited in the group: the Deutsch-Raum intensive course (tailored to Berlin), the Charité course, and private simulations in pairs. Also useful: Telegram groups with FSP simulations and old cases on approbations.info.

Figures reported in the group: confirmation of receipt after 3–6 weeks; procedure fee ~€210; from passing the FSP to the Approbation certificate on average ~1 month. Realistic total: 4–6 months if your German is already there.

An almost universal experience — don't panic. Proven strategies: call persistently at the right times (Tue/Thu early afternoon), write to the dedicated recognition email address (they reply within 1–2 days), send by registered mail to the Turmstraße office. And the golden rule: never send originals.

With an Anmeldung in Berlin: appointment at the Bürgeramt showing the LAGeSo checklist; the certificate is sent directly to the authority (the copy you receive doesn't count). Without residence in Germany: paper application to the Bundesamt für Justiz with certified signature.

Any German GP can issue it (appointment via Doctolib), cost ~€16–20. A certificate from an Italian doctor is rejected.

Salaries follow collective agreements (TV-Ärzte): you start at roughly €5,000 gross per month in the first year, plus shifts and on-call duty.

Carpet-bomb emails to heads of department and secretariats with a German CV and cover letter; emergency departments «take people almost everywhere». Many don't reply or reply months later: that's normal — persist, and include Potsdam and Brandenburg.

Yes. Once issuance is confirmed by email, it's better to state that you HAVE the Approbation (attaching the confirmation later): those who write «pending» are often screened out. Some hospitals offer a paid internship as a bridge until the document arrives.

The bridges used in the group: minijob, working as an MFA in a practice, telemedicine for Italy with an Italian VAT number, paid hospital internship. And apply early — response times are long.

No — the group's most recurring question: the Italian degree is registered as «Dott. Mag.», never as Dr. med. The Dr. med. is obtained only with a German Doktorarbeit (unpaid, in your free time), needed above all for a university career.

With the Approbation, post from the Ärztekammer arrives automatically: membership is mandatory (within about a month) if you live or work in Berlin. Fee: ~€60/year at the start, later income-based.

A Facharzt title obtained in Germany is recognisable across the EU under Directive 2005/36/EC; recognition of an Italian specialisation in Germany also goes through the Ärztekammer (its own procedure, usually faster than the LAGeSo). When changing federal state, the title must be registered with the new chamber.

The most anxiety-inducing post-Approbation topic: as a doctor you join the medical pension fund (Versorgungswerk) and must request exemption from the state pension within 3 months of the start of EVERY new contract — again at every hospital change. Those who forget receive payment demands of thousands of euros (solvable, but painful).

The search is tough: WG-Gesucht, Facebook groups, word of mouth. The Anmeldung is the real bottleneck — needed for the Führungszeugnis, tax number and bank — and many rentals don't offer it: always check before signing.

Most recommended in the group: TK (or DAK) as Krankenkasse — activate it once you have a job — and N26 or C24 as bank (fast online opening).

As an employee it's not mandatory but almost always worth it (deductions for courses, work and health expenses). Apps suffice for simple cases; for the year straddling Italy and Germany, better an accountant who knows both systems.

Register with AIRE immediately (otherwise you risk double taxation). If you are enrolled in a mandatory foreign pension scheme — such as the German Ärzteversorgung — you can ask ENPAM for exemption from the Quota B contribution. Submit the application with proof of enrolment and/or of the contributions paid to the German scheme (for example a payslip showing the contributions, or a certificate from the Ärzteversorgung).