Country docs

The federal government estimates that around 1,800 general practitioners are needed in Germany's rural areas to adequately cover the needs of patients living there. If nothing is done, the situation is set to become critical. German Health Minister Phillip Roesler is considering introducing a quota system to make sure that people living in remote regions have access to adequate care.

The Eastern state of Saxony alone needs 300 country doctors. The state government there however has developed a subsidy program to address the shortfall of doctors. It offers students financial support during their studies and the students, in return, agree to work in rural areas for four years after their studies are completed.

Marcus Koehler, a third-year medical student at Leipzig University always wanted to become a rural doctor. The 22-year-old says the subsidies program has made it easier for him to make the decision to work in the country once he gets his degree.

"I don't think this needs much explaining, the subsidy is a great financial help, that of course I gladly accept," he said.

Subsidies help students make decisions

Third-year medical students receive 300 euros per month for the first two years. This increases to 400 euros the following year, and jumps to 600 euros in the final subsidy year.

Without the subsidies, few medicine students would be able to afford to work in rural areas. Doctors working in urban areas earn more. Urban life is also more exciting, plus, cities generally offer better career opportunities. Koehler agrees that becoming country doctor will be hard work.

"My future medical practice will probably cover many small villages with relatively few inhabitants, which means I'm going to be doing a lot of driving," he said. "My working hours won't be quite as comfortable in the country."

In addition to providing financial assistance, the state government in Saxony has also introduced a program where student-doctors work in an established medical practice to learn the ropes.

"We find a doctor we'd like to work with in a rural area we'd like to work in and agree to spend one day a month there while we study," said medical student Florian Braunseis.

"It's important we meet their patients and help treat them over the long period of time. "

Getting to know patients

Braunseis performs his voluntary duty at a practice near his home. He already knows the people who live there and works for his own doctor. The 24-year old says the practice is right in the area that the media has pointed out as being worst affected by the doctor shortage.

"My doctor works in Torgau-Oschatz. I always start work early, about 7 am, before anyone else is there. I see the patients during consultation hours, take their blood – we need to practice that regularly, because we don't learn that at medical school."

The government's incentive scheme has convinced quite a few medical students in the state of Saxony to become country doctors - and it might become a model scheme for Germany's other 15 states.

Sven Näbrich/wl

Editor: Kyle James