Fork Out the Fees: CDU Proposes Return Policy for Foreign Physicians Studying in Germany
Conservative Political Party (CDU) intends to maintain foreign medical students in Germany
Wanting to keep valuable medical talent in the country, the CDU suggests that international medical students who study in Germany on a scholarship, only to return to their home countries immediately after graduation, should repay the costs of their expensive education.
In a conversation with Bild, Sepp Müller, deputy chairman of the Union faction, emphasized that if these students don't want to practice in rural areas for at least five years, they should pay back the hefty cost of this premium education.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Tino Sorge, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health, who stated, "We need to keep doctors like these highly skilled professionals in Germany instead of watching them walk away." The CDU believes that retaining such professionals is vital for Germany's healthcare sector, especially given the critical shortage of over 5,000 family doctors in the country.
As for the repayment details, Florian Müller, research policy spokesman for the Union faction, suggests that each federal state should regulate the process individually. The primary focus, Müller states, should be on ensuring that international talent stays and contributes to Germany post-graduation.
This proposal is part of a broader political and public conversation in Germany about the long-term benefits of publicly subsidized professional education for international students, especially in fields experiencing local shortages such as medicine. Currently, it remains a proposal under discussion as no formal law or policy has been enacted.
- CDU
- Doctors
- Skills Shortage
(References)[1] The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has proposed a new policy targeting international medical students who study in Germany tuition-free. The proposal stipulates that these students would be required to work in Germany for five years after graduation. If they do not fulfill this obligation, they would be expected to repay the costs of their education. This initiative is intended to address concerns about a “brain drain” and to encourage graduates who received state-funded education to contribute to the German healthcare system, especially in rural and underserved areas. The proposal aligns with broader political and public discussions in Germany about the proper return on investment for publicly subsidized professional education for international students, particularly in fields facing local shortages such as medicine.
- The CDU's community policy proposes a return policy for foreign physicians studying in Germany, requiring them to repay educational expenses if they do not work in the country for five years after graduation.
- This policy is driven by a concern about skills shortages, particularly in the healthcare sector, where Germany is experiencing a critical shortage of over 5,000 family doctors.
- The discussion around this policy is part of a broader debate in Germany about the long-term benefits of publicly subsidized education for international students in fields with local shortages, such as healthcare and medical-conditions, and the role of education-and-self-development in health-and-wellness, politics, general-news, and vocational training.
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