You can apply for recognition of your specialist qualification in Thuringia if you have a valid license to practice medicine/professional permit and are a member of the Thuringian Medical Association.

Procedure for specialist qualifications from EU/EEA/contracting states

If you have acquired your specialist qualification in the territory of the European Union (Member State), the European Economic Area (EEA State) or in a state to which Germany and the European Union have granted a corresponding legal right (Contracting State) and this is listed in Annex V, point 5.1.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications or the Agreement on the EEA and Switzerland, this is to be recognized automatically. Upon application, you will receive recognition of the designation provided for under the valid continuing education regulations. The recognition procedure is carried out without an individual examination of equivalence.

If your specialist qualification is evidence of further training which you completed before the cut-off dates specified in Annex V, point 5.1.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC, your specialist qualification may be recognized if you have

• present a certificate issued by the competent health authority of the state in which you obtained your qualification confirming that your further training meets the minimum standards set out in Art. 35 of Directive 2005/36/EC, or
• submit a certificate issued by the competent health authority of the state in which you obtained your qualification confirming that you have been permanently and legally working as a specialist in the requested specialty for at least 3 years during the 5 years preceding the issuance of the certificate.

If you hold a specialist title that does not correspond to a title listed in Annex V, point 5.1.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC, this may be recognized. A prerequisite is the submission of a certificate from the competent body of the EU/EEA/or contracting state in which the postgraduate training was obtained. The certificate must confirm that your certificate of continuing education is equivalent to the certificate of continuing education whose designation is listed in Annex V, point 5.1.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC (so-called certificate of conformity).

If you have a specialist qualification that is not covered by automatic recognition, you will receive recognition of your specialist qualification on application if the equivalence of the level of further training is given. The equivalence of the level of further training is not given if there are substantial differences between your proven specialist qualification and the German further training and these cannot be compensated for by corresponding professional practice or by knowledge, skills and competences acquired through lifelong learning and formally recognized as valid. Significant differences exist,

• if the duration of your proven specialist qualification is at least one year less than the duration of further training specified by the chamber in its further training regulations, or
• if the specialist qualification you have demonstrated lacks essential knowledge, experience and skills, the acquisition of which is a prerequisite for the specialist designation applied for.

If significant deficiencies are identified that cannot be compensated for by your professional practice or by knowledge, skills and competencies acquired through lifelong learning and formally recognized as valid for this purpose, you may take a so-called aptitude test to compensate for the deficiencies. The state medical association will inform you of the deficits identified in its decision. It will also inform you of the reasons why the deficits cannot be compensated for by your professional practice or by knowledge, skills and competences acquired through lifelong learning. The State Medical Board will make you an offer to take a qualifying examination. The date for the aptitude test will be chosen so that you have the opportunity to take it no later than 6 months after the decision of the State Medical Association to impose an aptitude test on you. The duration of the examination is at least 30 minutes. If you pass the examination, you will receive recognition of the specialist qualification provided for in the valid further training regulations.

If you have acquired your specialist qualification in a third country and this has already been recognized in another EU/EEA/contracting state and the other EU/EEA/contracting state certifies that you have 3 years of professional practice in the requested specialty in the territory of the issuing EU/EEA/contracting state, you will receive recognition of the designation provided for under the valid further training regulations upon application.

Procedure for specialist qualifications from non-EU/EEA/contracting state (third country)

If you have acquired your specialist qualifications in a third country, your qualification will be reviewed individually. The responsible medical association will check the equivalence of your foreign specialist qualification with the German specialist qualification.

If your specialist qualification is equivalent to the German specialist qualification, you will receive recognition of the specialist designation.

If substantial differences are found that cannot be compensated for by professional practice or by knowledge, skills and competencies acquired through lifelong learning, you must supplement the qualification in the requested specialty. Only then can you take the required examination on all the prescribed content of the corresponding specialty training. If you pass the examination, you will receive recognition of the designation provided for under the applicable continuing education regulations.

More detailed information can be obtained from the relevant state medical association.

As of January 18, 2016, the application procedure can also be carried out electronically via the technical systems of the point of single contact.

• Single point of contact
• Central Office for Foreign Education
• Certificate evaluation for foreign university qualifications
• Recognition in Germany" portal