How To Become A Doctor In Luxembourg
In this article Dashboardlogins.com tries to answer the question by publishing How To Become A Doctor In Luxembourg.
Common requirements
All doctors, whether general practitioners or specialists, must:
- satisfy the ethics, good-repute and physical and mental health requirements applicable to medical practitioners;
- possess the language skills that are necessary for them to practise in Luxembourg.
General practitioners
In order to work as a general practitioner in Luxembourg, the doctor must have:
- a conventional doctor’s diploma;
- a diploma attesting to specific training in general medicine.
Specialist practitioners
In order to work as a specialist medical practitioner in Luxembourg, the doctor must have:
- a conventional doctor’s diploma;
- a diploma attesting to a medical specialisation.
Preliminary steps
Recognition of foreign qualifications
The recognition of foreign diplomas is not required if the diploma:
- was obtained in an EU Member State;
- conforms to EU standards;
- corresponds to one of the specified diplomas (see Annex V, point 5.1.1 of European Directive 2005/36/EC for basic training, point 5.1.4 of European Directive 2005/36/EC for general practitioners and Annex V, points 5.1.2 and 5.1.3 of European Directive 2005/36/EC for specialists).
If the diploma was obtained in a third country, the holder of the diploma must first apply for recognition of the diploma in another EU Member State. Such recognition must entitle the holder to practise in the Member State in question:
- on an equal footing with the holders of a diploma specified in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC; and
- in accordance with the conditions and criteria stipulated in Articles 24, 25 and 28 of the Law of 28 October 2016 on the recognition of professional qualifications, as amended (loi modifiée du 28 octobre 2016 relative à la reconnaissance des qualifications professionnelles).
Required language skills
The doctor must possess the language skills that are necessary to carry out their profession in Luxembourg.
If the doctor’s mother tongue is not French, German or Luxembourgish, proof of their language skills must be provided in order to be authorised to practise.
The minimum level of language proficiency required in French or German is Level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The level can be proven by any means, such as:
- a copy of the training certificates obtained in one of these 2 languages;
- proof of professional experience in a French- or German-speaking country.
Doctors who cannot provide such proof as listed above must provide a level B2 language proficiency certificate issued by an approved examination centre.
In Luxembourg, the approved examination centre is the National Institute for Languages (Institut national des langues – INL).
Costs
Applications for the licence to practise carry a fee of EUR 450.
When applications are made online through MyGuichet.lu, the fee must be paid online.
For applications submitted by post, the fee must be paid to the following bank account:
IBAN: LU13 1111 0011 4679 0000
BIC: CCPLLULL
Name of the beneficiary: Administration de l’enregistrement, des domaines et de la TVA
Reference: AUTOMED + practitioner’s name
Doctors planning to use several professional titles must pay EUR 450 per title.
Note: fees will not be reimbursed if the Ministry of Health refuses to grant the licence to practise, or if the applicant withdraws their application.
How to proceed
Applying for the licence to practise
Applicants can apply for the licence to practise online through MyGuichet.lu.
The application procedure can be accessed:
- with authentication, using a LuxTrust product or an electronic ID (eID) card; or
- without authentication.
The procedure with authentication has several advantages compared to the procedure without authentication. For instance, with authentication, the data that the user enters can be saved temporarily so that it is available to the user at a later stage.
Once the application has been submitted, all subsequent messages and notifications concerning changes in the processing status of the application will be sent to the applicant by email.
Applications may also be submitted by post by sending the relevant form and required supporting documents (see below) to the following address:
Ministère de la Santé
1, rue Charles Darwin
L-1433 LUXEMBOURG
The ‘licence to practise’ application form can be downloaded from the ‘Forms / Online services’ section (see below).
Supporting documents
Applicants must include the following supporting documents with their application:
if the applicant is a national of an EU Member State or of a European Economic Area (EEA) state: a copy of a valid identity document; or
if the applicant is not a national of an EU or EEA state:
a copy of a valid residence permit; or
a document attesting that they have been granted international protection;
an extract from their criminal record issued by their country of residence no later than 3 months prior to the application date;
a certificate of good mental and physical health issued by a licensed doctor (no later than 3 months prior to the application date);
a copy of the diplomas (basic medical training + specific training in general medicine, or basic medical training + medical specialisation);
where applicable, if the diplomas were obtained ina third country, a copy of the certification of recognition of their diploma(s) and of their licence to practise as a general or specialist practitioner in another EU Member State;
a certificate of good character issued by the Order of Physicians (dated less than 3 months prior to the application);
a curriculum vitae;
proof of payment of the EUR 450 fee;
if the applicant’s mother tongue is not French, German or Luxembourgish, proof of their language skills.