At least 7,500 Germans are currently studying medicine abroad. Austria and Hungary are among the most popular countries.
The language of study for most international medical courses in Southeast Europe is English. It is not known how many potential doctors Germany loses due to studying abroad. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach called for around 5,000 additional medical study places in Germany in 2023 in order to cover the need for doctors in the long term. Some states offer those interested a place to study medicine if they commit to later working as a family doctor in rural regions for a certain period of time.