Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is offering more medical study places for country doctors!

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is offering more medical study places for country doctors!

With a clear focus on improving medical care in underserved regions, the state government of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania plans to expand the rural doctor quota to other important areas. The innovations include the introduction of a rural dentist quota and a rural pharmacist quota, which are currently being discussed in the state parliament. This initiative aims to not only combat the shortage of primary care physicians, but also to ensure basic health care across the board wismar.fm reported.

The country is currently reserving study places for medical students who commit to working in underserved regions for at least ten years. If this obligation is breached, those affected must expect a fine of up to 250,000 euros. Since its introduction in 2021, the regulation on the rural doctor quota has meant that out of 400 medical study places at the universities of Rostock and Greifswald, 32 places can be allocated using this quota. Around 150 applications have already been received in the 2024/2025 winter semester.

The need is increasing

Demographic developments and the growing need for medical care make the situation in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania even more challenging. The average age of general practitioners is high: a third of the approximately 1,200 general practitioners are already 60 years old or older. In addition, 80 general practitioner positions and 33 specialist doctor vacancies are currently vacant. A critical point is also the decline in the number of pharmacies in the country - from 390 in 2020 to 361 at the beginning of 2025.

Although Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has a high proportion of 2.25 medical students per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the German average of 1.26, only 40 percent of graduates decide to stay in the state. The need for doctors in many areas is greater than ever before. The state government considers the awarding of study places to applicants who are contractually bound to the state to be promising.

The application process

The application process for medical school via the rural doctor quota begins next spring, making March 2025 crucial. From March 1st to 31st, 2025, high school graduates have the opportunity to submit their applications via the portal of the M-V Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVMV) - an important contact point for future doctors. Successful applicants can then study in Rostock or Greifswald in the winter semester 2025/2026, and a public law contract with the state of M-V is also part of the application.

Admission is made up of various criteria, with the Abitur grade, training in the health profession and social skills being taken into account in the decision. Half of the country's primary care planning areas are already at risk of undersupply, underscoring the urgency of these measures. Loud government-mv.de The KVMV is responsible for the preparation and implementation of the application process.

There is political support for the planned 100 additional study places that CDU parliamentary group leader Daniel Peters is calling for, but the opposition is calling for more efforts to attract medical students. Over the last few years, the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians has paid out considerable sums to support branches in order to counteract the shortage of doctors. The state government's upcoming steps show that something is really moving.