Numerous physicians are planning to retire.
The Federal Statistics Office warns: 1 in 3 physicians are aged 55 or older, which means they'll likely retire soon. Fortunately, new professionals are entering the field, some of them even from other countries.
The Federal Statistics Office notes that a significant percentage of female and male physicians in Germany are expected to leave their profession in the near future. Approximately 31% of human and dental doctors are aged 55 years old or above. This number has grown significantly compared to the overall workforce (26%).
Despite an increase of around 23% in the number of doctors in Germany in the last decade, the number of aged 55+ professionals within the sector has also grown. This group made up 26% a decade ago.
The report by the statisticians indicates that the number of female and male doctors from other countries working in Germany has risen substantially in the past decade. In 2023, there were 62,000 international doctors, accounting for 12% of the total. A decade prior, this percentage was 7% for males and 29,000 for females. The increase in international doctors is evident in the immigration statistics as well. In the past year, approximately 115,000 foreign doctors practiced medicine in Germany, representing almost a quarter of all doctors. Some of them have now acquired German citizenship.
The number of students enrolling in human medicine has been steadily rising, according to the Federal Statistics Office. During the winter semester of 2022/2023, 14,300 people commenced studying human medicine. The situation in dental medicine remained relatively stable, with 1,900 new students in the same semester, as was the case ten years ago.
Read also:
- Lack of snow also opens up new opportunities for winter tourism
- Abrupt end to e-car subsidies
- The chemical industry has little confidence
- Intersport boss hopes for sales boom through sporting events
The Federals Statistical Office suggests that the healthcare system might face a significant workforce shift due to the high retirement rate of doctors, with 31% of human and dental doctors being 55 years old or older. The current healthcare policy needs to address this issue and ensure a smooth transition, utilizing the influx of new domestic and international professionals in the field.
Source: www.ntv.de
