German specialist training works very differently from Italy: you are employed and paid from day one, you learn on the job, and the path follows a competence catalogue (Logbuch) rather than a university.
In brief
- Duration: 5–6 years depending on the specialty, as an employee on full salary.
- The Logbuch documents procedures and competences; your supervisor signs off progress.
- At the end: oral exam at the Ärztekammer → Facharzt title, recognisable across the EU.
What you need
- Position in a department with Weiterbildungsbefugnis for your specialty
- Registration with the regional Ärztekammer and the doctors' pension fund (Versorgungswerk)
- Exemption from state pension insurance within 3 months of every new contract
- Up-to-date Logbuch + annual progress reviews
- At the end: application for admission to the Facharzt exam
From our experience
Check BEFORE signing how many years of Weiterbildungsbefugnis the head of department holds: if it's only 2, you'll have to change hospital after two years — better to know upfront and plan rotations from the start.
Check BEFORE signing how many years of Weiterbildungsbefugnis the head of department holds: if it's only 2, you'll have to change hospital after two years — better to know upfront and plan rotations from the start.
What's next?
This is the last stretch of the road — and where the German path pays off: paid, structured specialist training recognised across Europe.
Questions about this step? Check the FAQ or write to us.