Erdogan said “Let them go if they leave”… Turkish doctors flocked to Germany
The influx of doctors from Türkiye to Germany continues. The proportion of Turkish doctors in Germany exceeded all foreign countries by country. Turkish doctors now work in almost all hospitals, clinics are opening in areas that are very expensive in Germany.
In 2022, 2,685 Turkish doctors, 1,341 of whom are general practitioners and 1,344 specialists, received a Certificate of Good Conduct from the Turkish Medical Association. The vast majority of them went to Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The number of people who registered after graduating from medical school or beginning study is unknown. When they joined, it is estimated that the number of those who went to Germany alone reached 3,000.
REACHING THE NURSES
The facilitation by Germany of the conditions for health professionals from Turkey triggers the departure of Turkish doctors to this country. If the government’s draft law on “recruitment of skilled labor”, prepared by the government to facilitate visas for foreigners, is enacted, the number is expected to increase further and, especially, nurses will flock to Germany .
Turkish doctors who have retaken the exams are now all over Germany, and various institutions offering courses present them with a view of Berlin.
The increase in the last 10 years has been an indicator of how big the brain drain from Turkey has been. In recent years, the number of doctors leaving the country has exceeded 10,000.
REASONS TO PREFER GERMANY
The main reasons why Turkish doctors prefer Germany are “better working conditions, union, right to strike and social security, higher salary or annual income, no violence against health workers and being able to work away from the influence of the policy”.
Turkish doctors in Germany earn an average of 60,000 to 90,000 euros a year if they work in clinics. The annual salaries of experts can reach 120 thousand euros or more.
Those who open their own clinics in countries like Germany, Switzerland or the Netherlands can earn an average of 600 thousand 1 million 200 thousand euros per year.
There is a shortage of doctors in many hospitals in Germany and medical schools cannot fill these gaps. While it costs the German state 500 thousand euros for a medical student to become a doctor, those who come from Turkey have no education expenses.