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Physician Assistants: Rescue for Lower Saxony's family doctors in need!
Lower Saxony relies on Physician Assistants to combat the shortage of doctors in rural regions. New course of study from October 2025.
Physician Assistants: Rescue for Lower Saxony's family doctors in need!
There is a clear message in the rural regions of Lower Saxony: the shortage of general practitioners should be combated with the help of Physician Assistants (PAs). From October 2025, the CBS International Business School in Zeven will be offering a new course of study for these important relief workers. This is the state government's response to the increasing challenges in the healthcare system, as there are currently 577 general practitioner positions vacant in Lower Saxony. Areas such as Bremerhaven, the regions around Celle/Munster and Syke/Sulingen are particularly affected, as [Ärzteblatt] reports.
The field of study is aimed primarily at people with previous medical training, such as medical assistants, nursing specialists or paramedics. The goal is to train PAs so that they can support family physicians with home visits and patient care. “Physician assistants do not work independently,” explains Dr. Jan Gerlach, family doctor from Zeven and project initiator. During their home visits, they are equipped with a telemedicine kit so that they can quickly coordinate with the doctors via video call, according to [NDR].
A hybrid training concept
The training concept combines digital teaching formats with practical classroom phases. This makes the course particularly attractive for working people and career changers. In addition, in Papenburg there is the opportunity to acquire a bachelor's degree with a focus on family medicine, outpatient medicine, as [Ärzteblatt] notes.
The Lower Saxony Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVN) supports the training of PAs with funding that can be applied for by medical practices to cover the training costs. The entire approach is part of a ten-point plan that the red-green state government launched to combat the shortage of doctors. An increase in the number of medical study places is also planned in order to sustainably improve the care situation, as offered in the [KVN].
Harbingers of change
Another aspect is that the shortage of general practitioners could continue to worsen. Many of the practicing doctors are on average 56 years old and close to retirement. At the same time, many young doctors only work part-time, which means that, mathematically, 1.6 new employees are needed to replace a departing doctor. The increasing number of older people also leads to an increased need for treatment, which further inflames the situation, as [NDR] notes.
Through the planned funding for PAs and the initiatives that strengthen primary care, the Lower Saxony state government has a clear goal in mind: to make health care in rural areas future-proof. Health Minister Dr. Andreas Philippi underlines the need for primary care, especially in underserved regions, and calls for increased efforts from all sides to tackle this challenge.
From July, further information about the application and the study concept will be available on the project page. There is great hope that this new training path will offer a solid solution to the challenges in the healthcare system in Lower Saxony.