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A survey conducted by Medscape Professional Network offers a nuanced look at global physician mobility — and highlights several national trends. While qualified doctors continue to move abroad in search of better conditions, Germany remains an attractive destination for medical professionals from other countries.
(Information on the requirements for practicing medicine in Germany is available in German and English.)
The path to working abroad comes with significant obstacles. To support physicians considering a move, Medscape has compiled practical guidance and published a comprehensive international dossier, featuring tips on credentialing and firsthand accounts from doctors already practicing overseas. The survey also sheds light on emerging trends and the key motivations behind medical migration.
Why Physicians Choose to Work Abroad
Globally, better work-life balance is the leading motivation for physicians considering an international move. About 70% of respondents identify balancing professional and personal life as the primary reason for working abroad.
This aligns with findings from the Medscape report “What Stresses Doctors and How They Recover — Insights Into Their Daily Lives, Leisure, and Wellbeing,” which documents heavy workloads and administrative burdens in the German healthcare system.
These pressures are not unique to Germany. French physician Michael Roger told Medscape News Europeabout facing hostility and lack of support early in his career. “I was regularly insulted and attacked, often because I refused to issue sick notes,” he said. He has since relocated to Dubai. “I was welcomed with open arms. I was offered the role of department head and tasked with establishing a family medicine unit in a major hospital.” Patients, he added, are far more respectful there.
Financial incentives and benefits for family members also rank highly, each cited by 46% of respondents.
Top Destinations for German Physicians
German doctors most frequently relocate to Switzerland, France, the UK, and Spain — countries with familiar healthcare structures and less complex credential-recognition processes. According to the survey, physicians from Germany make up 7% of all respondents currently working abroad (similar proportions were seen for Colombia at 7%, Venezuela at 6%, Cuba at 6%, and Spain at 5%).
At the same time, Germany remains a significant destination, accounting for 12% of all physicians surveyed who are practicing outside their home country. Other top destinations include Spain (22%), France (9%), the US (7%), and Australia (6%).
This creates a double-sided landscape: Germany benefits from incoming medical talent, while losing its own doctors — contributing to staff shortages.
Specialties With the Highest Mobility
Some specialties are particularly mobile. Among physicians planning to move abroad:
- General practitioners/family physicians: 21%
- Anesthesiologists: 8%
- Internists: 7%
A similar pattern appears among physicians already working abroad:
- General practitioners/family physicians: 20%
- Internists: 7%
- Anesthesiologists: 5%
These findings highlight the global demand for broadly trained physicians, particularly those working in primary care and acute care settings.
Income: At Home vs Abroad
For many physicians, earning potential is a key incentive for relocating. Among EU-trained doctors, 55% say compensation is a major motivator — compared with 46% of respondents overall.
Destination countries with the strongest earning potential include:
- UK: 51% of respondents
- Switzerland: 44%
- US: 37%
Income disparities across countries are substantial. In Spain, 28% of physicians earn under $50,000 annually — the lowest category in the survey. At the high end:
- 38% of physicians in the US
- 21% in Switzerland
report annual incomes over $300,000.
These differences also shape physicians’ own perceptions:
- In all, 94% of foreign physicians working in Switzerland say they earn more there than in their home country.
- The same is true for 76% in the US, 71% in Canada, 69% in the UK, and 68% in Germany.
Barriers to Working Abroad
The most commonly cited barrier is complex credentialing, which varies significantly by country and often requires considerable time and effort. Visa requirements, immigration procedures, and differences in clinical workflows also pose challenges. These barriers are especially pronounced in Australia and Switzerland.
German physician Laura Cabrera Mendoza explained: “The German approbation (Germany’s full medical license, granted after completion of national exams; foreign physicians may need an equivalence test to obtain it), which is essential in Germany, has no value in Switzerland. What matters is recognition of your medical degree.” Recognition must be obtained through MEBEKO (the Swiss Medical Professions Commission), and processing currently takes several months.
Foreign physicians also face bureaucratic challenges when entering Germany. Russian ENT specialist Karina Volkova described having to progress from A1-level German language skills to C1 medical-level proficiency before beginning the licensing process. The regional government in Münster evaluated the equivalence of her Russian medical education for 19 months, ultimately requiring her to complete a clinical internship — yet finding a placement proved difficult.
Bottom Line: Opportunities and Risks
The new survey indicates that German physicians share many of the same motivations as their international peers: they seek better working conditions, clearer career pathways, and improved quality of life, and they are willing to move abroad to achieve those goals. At the same time, Germany continues to attract many internationally mobile physicians.
Health policymakers now face the challenge of addressing these trends to ensure that future workforce shortages do not undermine healthcare delivery.
Survey Methodology
This analysis is based on an online survey of 1271 physicians who either work abroad or plan to relocate. Data were collected between September 8 and November 3, 2025:
- 766 respondents are currently working abroad
- 485 are planning to move abroad
- Margin of error: ± 3.54% for current expatriates and ± 4.45% for prospective expatriates
This story was translated from Medscape’s German edition.
