How to get a license to practice medicine in Poland

31.03.2023

Private medical practice is very common in Poland, but not every specialist with a medical degree can obtain a license to open a private clinic. A medical license for private practice is a permit that gives the right to officially work in Poland. But in order to receive it, a foreign specialist must confirm his qualifications.

A license to practice medicine in Poland is issued according to the following procedure:

  1. learning Polish and passing an exam to confirm a high level of knowledge C1 (fluent communication in Polish);
  2. nostrification of a diploma – equating a diploma of a foreign university with a Polish one;
  3. postgraduate internship in one of the Polish clinics;
  4. Passing the final medical exam LEK, which will allow you to be included in the register of doctors in Poland.

The process is lengthy and it can take about 2-3 years to complete all the stages. But it is worth it, because a private medical practice in Poland is a prestigious and highly paid activity that will provide a person with a stable income for many years. Therefore, many foreign citizens seek to develop their careers on Polish soil, including Ukrainians.

Purchasing a license for medical activities in Poland

Buying a license to practice medicine does not mean that you can just pay money and immediately become a doctor in Poland. You need to go through the full procedure outlined in the previous section, but it comes with certain transaction costs.

When applying for a license to practice medicine, you will have to spend money on the following procedures:

  • 300 euros for registering a personal account on the portal of private entrepreneurs;
  • EUR 200 per year for private practice or clinic insurance
  • 125 euros for registering an office in the state register;
  • EUR 85 administrative fee for passing the Polish language exam.

Certificate confirmation will also require certain expenses. Do not forget that you will have to hire a tutor or go to a private school to learn Polish. Add to this a variety of visa costs, so that the acquisition of a license to practice medicine in Poland will cost several thousand euros, and you will not be able to shorten the procedure in any way.

However, all these expenses are worth it, because after the official opening of a private medical office in Poland, you can quickly recoup the costs. Narrowly focused private specialists may well earn 5-10 thousand euros per month. Don’t try to bribe anyone to speed up your license. All this will result in you only administrative responsibility and possible deportation from the country, the loss of the opportunity to become a private doctor in Poland.

Types of medical licenses in Poland

The following types of medical licenses are officially valid in Poland:

  • a license issued to a legal entity (company or organization);
  • a license issued based on the situation or context;
  • license for a specific person (individual).

In some situations, it is necessary to have all three types of licenses in order to practice medicine. If you are going to hire employees in your clinic, then you will need to license their activities. A work permit in Poland gives the company the right to engage in entrepreneurial activities.

The Polish authorities favorably treat foreigners who have confirmed their diploma and status and wish to practice medicine in the country. They understand that the owner of a private medical office can provide new jobs and pay taxes to the state treasury.

Medical professionals must register in a special register called działalność regulowana. It will contain information about medical qualifications, exams passed and practices that have been completed. The register of licenses for medical activities guarantees the work of a doctor’s office in accordance with Polish law.

When opening a medical office in Poland, also do not forget that you will need to certify medical equipment and medicines. They must pass the necessary checks that confirm their quality and compliance with established standards. The medical center is also being tested for fire safety, compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards, and a number of other procedures.

For how long is a medical license issued in Poland

Answering the question of how long a medical license is issued in Poland, it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer. Depending on the type of activity, a medical license can be issued for a period of one year to an indefinite period. This means that even after opening a doctor’s office, a specialist will have to confirm his qualifications from time to time.

Responsible employees will check whether the private doctor’s office complies with the Polish legislation. If critical violations are identified and the unwillingness to correct them, it is quite likely that the previously obtained license will be revoked. Therefore, even after the completion of the licensing procedure, a foreigner must carefully conduct private medical activities and not try to break the law.

A good solution would be to take advanced training courses that will help you improve your professional level and provide better services to patients. In Poland, there is no shortage of such courses, so that if desired, every doctor will be able to master new medical technologies, because the healthcare sector is constantly evolving and does not stand still.

For people from the countries of the former Soviet Union, MED INVEST GROUP offers services for a profitable investment in the medical business in Poland. Since 2015, we have been opening private medical centers in Poland, where emigrants from Ukraine and other countries can receive services in their native language. You can become an investor in these enterprises and receive a consistently high passive income.

The franchise of the European medical business in Poland already includes five open medical centers “Your doctor in Warsaw”, and this is far from the end. The opening of the medical center takes place according to a well-planned algorithm without violating Polish law. After opening a business, each investor will receive dividends according to the agreement. At the same time, profits are constantly growing, as the medical center develops and the number of patients increases.

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