Dr. Kiran Soni: Day Three in Germany, on the Road to a Medical PG

Dr. Kiran Soni is a doctor from Kerala. She completed her MBBS in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016 and worked for about six and a half years before deciding to pursue postgraduate training in Germany. When we spoke, she was on her third day in Germany. Her story explains the medical PG in Germany for Indian doctors.

“It was a long, very adventurous journey: learning German, getting here. It is a bit of a struggle initially, but it is for the greater good.”

Why a medical PG in Germany for Indian doctors

Kiran explains her reasoning clearly. In India, a PG means competing in the NEET exam, and even then you may not get the department you want. In Germany, as she understands it, you can apply directly to the department you are interested in, and relevant experience counts.

She also points to state-of-the-art technology, strong universities, a good salary during training, and the option to work anywhere in the European Union later. Specialist training takes around 60 months for surgical fields.

How the first year works

Kiran describes the path ahead:

• Language course: a 20-week FSP and C1 course, with 10 weeks of intensive classes followed by 10 weeks of exam preparation.
• FSP: the medical language exam, held roughly every six months. Doctors apply about three months in advance.
• Temporary licence: after the FSP, doctors receive a two-year temporary licence and can work in a hospital.
• KP: during those two years, doctors prepare for the KP, the knowledge exam, which can only be attempted three times. “You will have to get it in one go,” she says.

Life in the first week

Kiran says the accommodation was one of the best surprises. She lives in a fully furnished apartment with a cleaning service, about 20 minutes’ walk from her school. Her roommate, a doctor from Afghanistan, is on the same C1 course, and they practise German together.

Small things take getting used to. Some buildings have no lifts, and there is no car to jump into as there was at home.

Her experience of the support

Kiran says she was helped step by step with her German classes and her processing. The exams she had to pass herself, but everything else was supported.

Her message to doctors

“You will need a great amount of motivation, because you are coming out of your comfort zone and away from your family.”

Language, she says, is the key. Germans prefer to speak German, and many people do not speak English at all. Living there is like living in another Indian state without knowing the local language: possible, but hard.

She likes the strict rules, too. They make people independent and responsible, and that was part of why she came. For doctors weighing a PG in Germany, her first-week view is honest and encouraging: hard at the start, and worth it.

Medical PG in Germany for Indian doctors: the route at a glance

Kiran described her first year in detail on her third day in Germany. Here is the full route. The figures below are the ones we quote on our Medical PG in Germany page.

Step	What it involves
Who can apply	MBBS graduates, doctors completing their internship and working doctors
German level	Strong general German (B2), then the C1 medical language exam (Fachsprachprüfung, FSP)
Recognition	Your MBBS is assessed by the German authorities, who set out what you must do to be licensed
Temporary licence	After the FSP, a temporary licence (Berufserlaubnis), usually for two years, to work in a hospital
Full licence	Approbation, after the knowledge exam (Kenntnisprüfung, KP), which can be attempted only three times
PG tuition	€0. Specialist training is a paid hospital job, not a paid course
Pay during training	Around €4,000–€5,000 a month; around €10,000–€15,000 after specialisation
Initial investment	About €25,000 for the first year: stay, food, language preparation and documentation

Want to know if your MBBS profile qualifies for a PG in Germany? Get a free profile check or message our doctors team on WhatsApp.

Step by step: the medical PG in Germany for Indian doctors

1. 1-on-1 consultation. We look at your MBBS, experience, German level and the speciality you want.
2. German in India. Most doctors build their German while still working, then finish with an intensive course. Kiran took a 20-week FSP and C1 course in Germany: 10 weeks of intensive classes and 10 weeks of exam preparation.
3. Recognition. Your MBBS documents are translated and submitted to the authority of the German state where you will work. Our Approbation guide for Indian doctors covers the full path from MBBS to licence.
4. FSP and temporary licence. You pass the C1 medical language exam and start working in a hospital on a temporary licence. The FSP is held roughly every six months; doctors apply about three months ahead.
5. KP and Approbation. While working, you prepare for the knowledge exam and receive your full licence. She stresses that you should aim to pass the KP in one attempt. From 1 November 2026 the KP becomes the standard route for most non-EU doctors; see what the new recognition rules mean for Indian doctors.
6. Specialist training. You apply directly to the department you want and train as a salaried resident; surgical fields take around five years. Kiran notes surgical specialist training takes around 60 months.

Documents doctors need

• MBBS degree certificate and mark sheets
• Internship completion certificate
• Medical council registration and Certificate of Good Standing
• Detailed syllabus with hours
• Experience certificates
• German language certificates
• Passport, CV in German, police clearance and medical fitness certificate, with certified translations

Mistakes to avoid on the way to a German PG

• Treating German as optional. Many people in Germany do not speak English, and patients expect German.
• Underestimating the KP. It allows only three attempts, so preparation while working matters.
• Expecting it to feel easy at first. Kiran calls the start a struggle and worth it.
• Leaving accommodation to chance. Kiran’s furnished flat near her school made the first weeks much easier.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Recognition of foreign qualifications: Recognition in Germany (German government portal)
• Doctors in Germany: Make it in Germany: doctors

Written by the Welcare Overseas team, Bengaluru, from Dr. Kiran Soni’s video interview, recorded in Germany. Last updated: 20 October 2026.