Non-EU Foreigners – obtaining physician’s/dentist’s medical license in Poland by citizens of non-EU states
Legal basis:
- Act of 5 December 1996 on the profession of physician and dentist (Official publication: Dz. U. Nr 21, poz. 204 as amended)
- Act of 2 December 2009 on medical chambers (Official publication: Dz.U. Nr 30, poz. 158 as amended
- Act of 25 June 1999 on social insurance financial benefits in the event of sickness and maternity (Official publication: Dz.U. Nr 60 poz. 636 as amended)
- Act of 29 August 1997 on personal data protection (Official publication: Dz.U. 2014/1182, as amended)
- Act of 20 July 2018 on higher education and science (Dz.U. 2018/1668 as amended)
- Regulation of the Minister of Health of 31 August 2020 on specializations of physicians and dentists (Dz.U. 2020/1566 as amended)
- Supreme Medical Council Resolution 30/10/VI of 3 September 2010 r. on detailed procedure for licensing of physicians and dentists and for keeping of the register of physicians and dentists (Official publication: SMC Bulletin of 2010, Number: 7)
Procedure Overview
Upon the request of a physician/dentist, who is not a Polish citizen, who previously obtained limited medical license and who passed the Medical Verification Examination (LEP) – as of October 1st 2004 – regional medical chamber confers the medical license to practice in Poland:
- for a limited time period in order to complete postgraduate training or to obtain academic degree, or
- for a limited time period or permanently in order to work/practice professionally.
Required documents
- An application form: „Wniosek o przyznanie prawa wykonywania zawodu, wpisanie na listę członków i wpis do rejestru okręgowej izby lekarskiej” i.e. a request to confer medical license, to enter onto the regional medical chamber members list and into the register of doctors – which states the purpose of application (e.g. postgraduate training or permanent work) and contains the applicant’s statement of full legal capacity and consent to process personal data contained in the regional register of doctors.
- a certificate confirming an appropriate state of health from a physician authorized to conduct medical examinations of employees,
- proof of change of surname (only applicable if relevant documents were issued regarding previous surname),
- 2 photos in passport format, along with digital version in jpg file format – min. resolution: 420 x 525, max. file size: 200 KB.
- Limited medical license document,
- Postgraduate Medical Training Record Book or a decision issued by the Minister of Health recognizing the postgraduate medical training completed abroad as fully equivalent to the postgraduate medical training in Poland, and a certificate confirming that the applicant passed the relevant exam, as specified in the regulation of Minister of Health on postgraduate medical training of physicians and dentists,
- Medical Verification Examination (LEP) certificate,
- a valid document entitling to reside within the territory of Poland,
- personal data processing notice – signed statement
and additionally:
- in case of application for a limited time period in order to complete postgraduate training or an academic program/studies:
- a consent from the Minister of Health to start specialization training in Poland, in accordance with general principles laid down in separate provisions which regulate enrollment in academic studies and training programs and participation in scientific research by foreigners,
- a document from a recognized entity authorized to confer academic degrees or from an authorized person confirming the applicant’s acceptance into specified academic or training program,
- a certificate giving proof and form of funding of studies or training
- in case of application in order to work/practice professionally:
- work permit issued by the Voivode competent for the seat/place of residence of the employer (on the basis of multiple-entry visa),
- on the basis of temporary stay/residence permit – a pledge to issue work permit from the Voivode competent for the seat/place of residence of the employer,
- only as regards medical practitioners – opinion of the Committee on medical practices of the regional medical chamber competent for the intended place of practice, stating whether the conditions referred to in Article 50 sections 1-4 or Article 50a sec. 4 of the Act of 5 December 1996 on the profession of physician and dentist have been met.
Documents necessary to obtain medical license not specifically mentioned above, which physicians and dentists submit to the relevant regional medical council in order to obtain limited medical license, shall be stored in the personnel records of the regional medical chamber to which the application for medical license is made. If the applicant is a member of a different regional medical chamber, relevant documents shall be transferred to the regional medical chamber to which the application for medical license is made.
Relevant forms (templates)
Charges/Fees
not required
Unit responsible
Organizational Committee
Where to apply
Regional Medical Chamber
Response period
One month. In more complex cases – no longer than 2 months from the submission of complete set of documents.
Appeal procedure
Within 14 days of receipt of negative decision the applicant may submit an appeal. An appeal shall be submitted to the Supreme Medical Council, by way of regional medical council. The applicant may appeal a Supreme Medical Council’s decision to the Supreme Administrative Court.
Notice
The proceeding concerns:
- foreigners – physicians or dentists – who were granted limited medical license, completed postgraduate training (or whose postgraduate training completed abroad was recognized by the Minister of Health as fully equivalent to the postgraduate medical training in Poland) and who passed the Medical Verification Examination (LEP) – as of October 1st 2004 – intending to practice in Poland:
- in order to complete additional training (e.g. specialization, academic programs, postgraduate studies, professional prctice) or to obtain academic degree,
- in order to work/practice professionally.