MEDICAL SPECIALISATION/ RESIDENCY in Switzerland

FAQs

Walaikum as Salam

I am working as resident doctor/assistenzarzt for almost 1.5yrs. I applied always for position of Assistenzarzt.. They (at my 1st interview) offered me Unterassistarzt post for 4months. Thereafter, due to inevitable circumstances, I went back home for 3 months. Came back, applied afresh» got position as "arzt im praktikum" » worked for a year. Applied again then got a post of resident doctor/ Assistenzarzt with 1yr contract + chance to start Doktorarbeit/ PhD thesis. My contract was extended thereafter for unlimited time period now. By end of this year: would be changing to internal medicine for 1-2yrs...

To try out - I applied in Dec 2019 at 5 different hospitals. 1 of them offered to join ASAP, they've next vacancy. 2 of them were offering joining on immediate basis (Jan onwards) - too sudden for me (due to thesis); 2 of them rejected, stating too less experience in IM within Swiss hospitals..!

What helped: acquiring "working experience (cum recommendations) certificate" + good references.

For other details, plz read:

Step 5: Getting a job as Intern/ Resident doctor.

Recommendation for you: start with smaller psychiatric clinics/ hospital or smaller Rehaklinik, maybe in remote areas. They have max. vacancies esp. in psychiatry. It would help: getting you first job (is difficult but not impossible). At end, you need a (good) 1st work experience certificate ± 1 counsultant to recommend/for reference in CV. Do you let me know, if something happens.

Whr have you done your medical graduation/mbbs?

Hopefully, soon you will have 1st job. Don't worry about it too much; just apply.

R

Thank you for your thorough explanation. I appreciate your help.

However, I‘ve been left with some questions and I wondered if you could help me understand these too.

I am a non-EU citizen with a non-EU medical degree. Therefore I‘ll register to MEBEKO through the 4th path. Here are my questions:

1.How long does it take for MEBEKO to recognize a degree?

2.in the main thread you said first contact MEBEKO, then look for job. But in the comments you replied to someone that finding a job comes first, then after 3 years passing the exam and then registering to MEBEKO. Which way is the correct one?

3.if contacting MEBEKO comes before applying for a job, are we allowed to apply and work while we wait the degree recognition?

Hey there

For EU degree holders, one needs 2-3months

For non EU degree holders, it varies on individual basis. You’re still on step 0 or step1: need not worry now, as long way ahead of you. Are you already in Switzerland?

General rule for all non EU degree holders in Switzerland:

Apply for registration at MEBEKO for GL number >> apply for job>>work min. 3years as resident doctor/Assistenzarzt >> pass the 2 tier federal liscencing exam >> apply for MEBEKO recognition.

In certain scenarios especially EU degree for non EU citizens or a non EU citizen getting a degree from another non EU country rather than his/her native country, have to go through a 1:1 assessment, which is not your case.

As mentioned above, one has to go through this process.

(Exceptionally i assume only in Switzerland,) according to current “medical professional law”: non EU degree holders have to work min. 3years as resident doctor before their degree gets recognized

I hope it would help you

Have a nice weekend

R

Sorry for repeating myself but can you comment if my summary here is correct for Doctors outside of the EU?

1)First one needs to register to Swiss Med-Register & acquiring GL Number(can I do this from outside Switzerland?)

2)Find a job position as a Assistenzarzt and work for 3 years

3)Pass the FLE

4)Do the MEEBEKO recogniton

5)Continue with Facharztweiterbildnung(does one need to find another Job postion or just continue where you started as Assistenzart?)

Also will the first 3 years working as Assistenzart without FLE count toward my Facharzt?

I am trying to decided where I should do my Facharzt between Switzerland or Germany better.Do you have any suggestion?

Thank you again for the helpful post.

Hey there

Yes, this sequence is absolutely correct.

Yes, as soon as you have B2 certificate in one of the languages (DE/FR/IT)

Important to note: format of FLE is about change from next year. Read the pdf on this webpage:

https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/de/home...anmedizin.html

One has to fulfill different requirements for the selected branch during 5-6yrs specialization, meaning working in different categories of hospital as well as different settings (wards/out patient dept./ emergency, ICU etc

List of requirements for each branch, you check here:

https://www.siwf.ch/weiterbildung/fa...hwerpunkte.cfm

The categories of each branch & hospitals, you can view here:

https://www.siwf-register.ch/

Yes, If you pass FLE. Or else it would be considered just as work experience.

I don’t have any concrete knowledge about the process in Germany.

Hopefully it would help you

Have a great weekend

R

Hello drremobond007,

I am so grateful to you for the helpful information you have been providing.

Thank you so much for sharing all this with us.

Please I really need your advices about my situation:

I have graduated from a russian medical school in July 2019, I have a B2-Zertifikat of German language, and I am from a french speaking african country (Côte d'Ivoire). I am currently practicing in my country, and in February I sent about 60 emails application for Unterassistent jobs (even though I haven't yet applied for my degree's registration-I'm still preparing my documents and the health crisis has slowed me down a bit).

Many hospitals said to not have free vacancies before mid-2021 or 2022, but two clinics of the same hospital in Graubünden Canton offered me the job for October and November 2020 in one clinic and for December in the 2nd one, for a salary of 1000 Swiss francs/month. I even filled and signed the contract form which I sent them back by email.

A couple of days later, I asked them about the process for work-permit and visa, they seemed to not know much about it. After making their own inquiries, both clinics decided to cancel my employment opportunity.

The reason they gave is that no residence permit can be given to non-eu/non swiss citizens.

I have learned from these following links:

https://www.eda.admin.ch/countries/i...erlaubnis.html

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/de/home...ensablauf.html

...that before I apply for a visa at the Swiss embassy, the cantonal migration authorities will have to send a visa authorisation to the embassy, and this can only be done when the employer sends a request for a work permit to the migration authorities.

Unfortunately the employer in my case doesn't seem ready to go through this, because apparently they would firstly have to prove that there's no Swiss/EU citizen for this same vacancy, reason for which he decided to give it to a non swiss/non-eu citizen.

All this makes me doubt if at all there can be an opportunity for non-Swiss/non-eu citizens (who also are not married to any Swiss/EU citizen) to be able to practice in Switzerland. But reading your different messages here still gives hope.

Please, if you (or anynody else) have any insight/advice to share about my situation, I'll be glad to be helped.

I'm sorry for the long text, and I thank you for your time and consideration.

Regards.

Have a great weekend!

Hello,

I am a medical student who wants to transfer to Zurich to continue my specialization and to work there.

I have already contacted the university of zurich which told me that to get a medical degree there you have to complete a bachelors course and then do the master.

This is different from my country where we first do 1) an aptitude test 2)six year course for the medical degree (and not 3-3) 3)an aptitude test for the specialization.

Right now i am a bit confused as i don't know which is the best way to continue my carreer there, because first i have to finish my degree in my country (EU) and get it reviewed by mobeko. However after that i don't know how to proceed.

From what i understood to continue medical specialization in switzerland you have to sustain an interview and there is no aptitude test, is it true? I could not find any other information in regards to this matter.

After you do your specialization do you still work in the hospital who accepted your interview?

In other words how does medical career proceed after getting a medical degree?

Thank you

Check this link, some will not apply as you are EU but there is still alot of valuable information:

https://www.englishforum.ch/educatio...itzerland.html

Here doctors do a Bachelors and a consecutive Masters degree in a total of 6 years. AFter the 6 Years studies the doctor starts working in a hospital. Normally specialisation studies start after 5 years hospital practice and take 5 years to complete, which would be equivalent to a doctorate in other fields.

So to resume, a Masters for medical students is not specialisation, its general studies.

Thank you for answering,

so it means that i have to get a job at a hospital, work there for 5 years (as an assistant doctor) and only then i can proceed with my specialization?

It means there is no way to proceed directly with the specialitazion right?

Hey there

Swiss is non EU member but belongs to schengen region + have a lot of bilateral agreements including to employ & recognizing each other’s degree. This makes the whole process a lot easier for the citizens of these countries.

I’m aware of this situation. This is one of the swiss/ eu protectionist laws to prevent or limited non EU-(non) high skill labor force, until and unless they have exhausted all the options within EU.

As I have mentioned earlier as well in my posts, the preference for Specialization would be always given to:

swiss medical graduates >> EU degree holders >> non EU with EU degrees >> non EU degree holders.

Non married (to swiss or eu citizen) non eu degree holders getting into swiss medical education system is swimming against the tide, more like uphill in a mountainous terrain..!!

In short, it’s almost impossible (but not impossible)as I have met my ex colleagues purely from Montenegro. Then the psychiatric hospital were willing to endorse for their work visa (namely permit L) subsequently getting them sustained work permit in long term.

Few branches like derma, ophthal., anaesth. Cardio, etc in Switzerland (in German speaking region) are purely meant purely for swiss or German speakers. So, think before you apply here as with limited number of PG seats in very limited number of branches..!

I hope, it could help you somehow!!

R

It’s more difficult than that since only people resident in Switzerland/Lichtenstein are considered for the limited number of medical studies places each year.

"Council Recommendation of universities on the admission of foreign applicants to medical studies in Switzerland of November 19, 2015

  1. With regard to admission to medical studies, the following foreign applicants are treated the same way as Swiss candidates:

a) nationals of Liechtenstein;

b) foreigners resident in Switzerland or Liechtenstein;

c) nationals of a Member State of the European Union, Iceland and Norway, which have in Switzerland a stay under the EU / EFTA marked “gainful activity” and may justify a professional activities closely with medical studies (Article 9, paragraph 3, Annex I ALCP…)

d) children, whatever their nationality, nationals of member countries of the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein in Switzerland if they have a residence permit as a member the family of an EU / EFTA citizens (article 3, paragraph 6, Annex I ALCP…);

e) foreigners domiciled in Switzerland whose parents are resident in Switzerland;

f) foreigners living in Switzerland who are married to a Swiss citizen or whose spouse is established in Switzerland for at least five years or in possession of a Swiss work permit for at least five years;

g) aliens domiciled in Switzerland holding a Swiss work permit for at least five years, respectively those domiciled in Switzerland whose parents have a Swiss work permit for at least five years;

h) foreign domiciled in Switzerland with a Swiss maturity certificate or maturity cantonal certificate recognized throughout Switzerland (according to the Federal Ordinance of 15 February 1995 fe-recognition of maturity certificates gymnasiale and the Rules of CDIP of 16 January 1995 on the recognition of certificates gymna-Siale maturity) or a professional maturity certificate completed by a certificate of additional tests (according to the Federal Ordinance of 19 December 2003 on the recon-naissance certificates of maturity professional for admission to Swiss universities);

i) children whose parents have diplomatic status in Switzerland;

j) refugees recognized by Switzerland.

  1. To be treated the same way as Swiss applicants, foreign applicants must fulfill the following conditions:

a) Foreign mentioned in s. 1 letter. a to i, must have documents establishing their right of access to medical studies at the latest the day of the registration period for medical studies set by Swissuniversities. The certificate of graduation can be subsequently filed.

b) The refugees mentioned in s. 1 letter. I must have applied for asylum in Switzerland later than the day of the registration deadline for medical studies set by Swissuniversities and be granted asylum on or before the last day of the registration period of the university in which they obtained a place of study.

  1. remain reserved general admission requirements of the University chosen by the candidate.

  2. The recommendation of the CUS of 12 October 2006 is repealed."

Also

" What are the admission criteria for foreigners who are resident abroad and would like to enrol in medical studies in Switzerland?

The available enrolment capacity in medicine at Swiss universities has regularly been exceeded in recent years. In order to maintain the quality of education, admission restrictions were introduced for medical studies in 1998. If access to medical studies is once again subject to numerus clausus for the coming academic year, foreigners resident abroad will continue to be subject to strict restrictions in view of this situation.

It is therefore generally not possible to admit foreigners resident abroad to medical courses in Switzerland (even for just part of their studies)."

https://www.swissuniversities.ch/fil…AQ_EN_2019.pdf

-Roegner thank you for the link, i am very interested in the steps from 5 and on which have not been written. I'll keep this thread in check.

-Medea thank you for the elucidation but i already meet the criteria for getting treated the same way as Swiss candidates.

Can someone explain to me if this deduction is correct? "so it means that i have to get a job at a hospital, work there for 5 years (as an assistant doctor) and only then i can proceed with my specialization?

It means there is no way to proceed directly with the specialitazion right?"

Working as an assitant doctor is the specialization. It's a job, you apply for it, you compete for it, and at the end, once you fulfill all the criteria of the ISFM, you pass 1 or 2 exams. Be aware you usually change hospital every 6 to 12 months.

6+5+5=16 years to be a specialist. Is this right?

Why is it that you change hospitals so often? Shouldn't you work at the hospital you applied for (and eventually got accepted)?

Because each hospital is only allowed to keep you for a set period of time during your specialization, for example university hospital can offer 3 years of specialization, most regional hospitals can only offer 1 to 2 years. If you stay longer than that, the extra months you spent there won't be accepted as part of your specilization. So every 6, 12, 24 months, whatever, you have to find a new job.

Thank you very much. So it means that after period of specialization expires i have to repeat the procedure and apply for another hospital for the same type of specialization, right?

I can add, anecdotally, the following. A few years ago, a friend was charged with recruiting a doctor to work in an old-age nursing home in a German-speaking Canton, and discovered that this position was very unattractive to Swiss doctors and consequently very hard to fill.

In the end, they approached the immigration athorities with documentation of their many unsuccessful efforts to recruit a Swiss or EU doctor. They argued that this was an essential post, since the patients were too frail to go elsewhere to see a doctor. They were then told, informally, that they now had provisional approval, so if they could find a suitable non-EU with a non-EU degree, that person would most likely be granted a permit.

They then did find several interested non-EU doctors. The contact person in the immigration office told them, off the record, that one of the factors that had tipped the balance in that case, to grant the permit, was that the non-EU doctor already had a fairly good command of German.

Ideally, a specialisation period is enriching. The idea is that each hospital and its team of senior doctors will have special interests, will focus on different techniques, will approach matters from a different perspective, will embrace or oppose different streams of current (and past) medical thinking. A young doctor becomes a specialist by learning from "masters" of various types, by having been part of these diverse teams, and having had the opportunity to re-think and gain several completely different sets of experience.

The specialisation, as a whole, is made up of a number of limited duration jobs, and yes, before each one expires, you have to apply for each next block in its own right.