Job profile
Assistant physician (m/f/d)

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Assistant physicians: starting their medical career & training to become medical specialists

Physicians start their medical careers as assistant physicians while they undergo further training to become medical specialists. Assistant physicians have completed their studies in human medicine and have obtained a licence to practice medicine. They usually work under the supervision of assistant medical directors or chief physicians, are at the beginning of their careers and are training to become medical specialists.

Which opportunities do assistant physicians have on the labour market?

In the first few years of their careers, physicians work as assistant physicians. During this time, they decide on a specific medical field, for example surgery or general medicine. Since there has been a shortage of physicians in Germany for many years already, assistant physicians have very good prospects on the labour market. The total duration of the training to become a medical specialist is 60 to 72 months.

What are the tasks and responsibilities of assistant physicians?

Assistant physicians are responsible for numerous routine tasks at the hospital and work as ward physicians, where they are the first point of contact for the patients.

  • Admission of patients
  • Examination and diagnosis
  • Taking of blood samples
  • Requesting laboratory tests
  • Preparation of treatment plans
  • Recommendation of therapies
  • Treatment of patients
  • Prescription of drugs
  • Ward rounds
  • Documentation of treatments
  • Discharge of patients
  • Writing medical reports for family physicians
  • Performing anaesthesia and surgery under the supervision of a specialist physician

Which hard skills and soft skills should assistant physicians have?

Physicians must have completed their studies in human medicine; this takes at least six years and is one of the longest courses of study in Germany. They need extensive knowledge and must keep up to date with the latest scientific findings. The studies are followed by the practical training as an assistant physician. Physicians have to be resilient and committed, and they have to work with concentration and determination.

  • A university degree in the field of human medicine
  • The desire to help people in need
  • Resilience and commitment
  • A concentrated way of working and a determined approachn
  • The ability to empathise with patients and to be sensitive when dealing with them

What is the average salary of assistant physicians?

For physicians employed in a municipal hospital or a clinic, the salary corresponds to the relevant collective agreement. In Germany, there are public collective agreements for university hospitals as well as for private hospital groups. The average annual gross salary of assistant physicians with relevant professional experience is between EUR 52,800 and EUR 66,000, which equals a monthly gross salary of between EUR 4,400 and EUR 5,500. Working on stand-by duty can further increase their salary. There are no exact figures regarding the salary of self-employed physicians.

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