Physician Assistants: Rescue for Lower Saxony's general practitioners in need!

Physician Assistants: Rescue for Lower Saxony's general practitioners in need!

In the rural regions of Lower Saxony, there is a clear announcement: The lack of general practitioners should be combated using Physician Assistants (PAS). From October 2025, the CBS International Business School in Zeven will offer a new course for these important relief forces. The state government is reacting to the increasing challenges in healthcare, because 577 household seats are currently vacant in Lower Saxony. Areas such as Bremerhaven, the regions around Celle/Munster and Syke/Sulingen, as [Ärzteblatt] are particularly affected.

The field of study is aimed primarily at people with medical training, such as medical assistants, nursing staff or paramedics. The aim is to train the PAS so that they can support general practitioners in home visits and in patient care. "Physician assistants are not active," explains Dr. Jan Gerlach, family doctor from Zeven and project initiator. During your home visits, you are equipped with a telemedizin fofer to quickly coordinate with the doctors via video call, according to [NDR].

a hybrid training concept

The training concept combines digital teaching formats with practical presence phases. This makes the course particularly attractive for working people and career changers. In addition, there is the opportunity in Papenburg to acquire a bachelor's degree with a focus on general practitioner, outpatient medicine, as [Ärzteblatt] notes.

The Niedersachsen Association (KVN) supports the training of PAS with funding that can be applied for by the doctor's practices to cover the training costs. The entire approach is part of a ten-point plan that the red-green state government has launched to combat the long of the doctor. An increase in medical study places is also planned to improve the supply situation sustainably, as offered in the [KVN].

harbinging a change

Another aspect is that the general medical shortage could continue to worsen. Many of the practicing doctors are on average 56 years old and close to retirement. At the same time, numerous young doctors only work part -time, which means that 1,6 new forces are needed to replace a retirement doctor. The increasing number of older people also leads to an increased need for treatment, which further fuels the situation, as [NDR] determines.

The Lower Saxony State Government has a clear goal in mind through the planned funding for the PAS and the initiatives that strengthen the general medical care: to make health care in rural areas future -proof. Health Minister Dr. Andreas Philippi underlines the need for general care, especially in sub -supplied regions, and demands increased efforts from all sides to tackle this challenge.

From July, further information on the application and the study concept on the project page will be available. Hope is great that this new training path will offer a solid solution for the challenges in healthcare in Lower Saxony.