Doctors from Ukraine and Belarus struggle to pass the Polish medical exam. Truth be told, Poles with foreign diplomas don't fare much better

Photo: Schöning / ullstein bild via Getty Images

After the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Poland faced a shortage of medical staff and opened simplified access to the profession for doctors from outside the European Union, including from Belarus and Ukraine. To start working, they did not have to go through the entire lengthy procedure of diploma and qualification recognition, which applies to other foreign specialists.

These decisions were considered temporary from the very beginning. Now the transitional period is ending. The issuance of conditional rights to professional practice for a period of five years was stopped back in October 2024.

The second scheme, which allows foreign doctors to work based on the individual consent of the Minister of Health in a specified place and for a specified period, should be abolished by the end of this year. So, in the near future, everyone who wants to continue working in Poland will have to confirm their knowledge and qualifications on general grounds.

As Rzeczpospolita writes, one of the paths is to pass a special exam for confirming doctors' qualifications (Lekarski Egzamin Weryfikacyjny – LEW), which was introduced in 2021 as one of the stages of verifying the knowledge of foreign specialists. The second is diploma nostrification. Both paths can stretch for years and require not only confirmation of professional knowledge but also fulfillment of a number of other conditions.

The Exam

The exam is a test of 200 questions. To pass successfully, one must score at least 120 points, however, this year the median results for Belarusians were 107 points, and for Ukrainians — 99, while Poles who studied abroad scored 87.

In the first session this year, which took place on May 26, 92 doctors from Belarus participated (28 people passed, or 31.5%), 89 from Ukraine (12 people passed, or 8.8%), and 28 Poles with foreign diplomas (only two passed). Among those who took the test were also individual representatives of other nationalities, including 4 Russians (all of whom failed).

The overall statistics for all years of the exam's existence are even more indicative: Belarusian doctors attempted the test 1925 times, but succeeded in only 14.5% of cases (280 people). Among Ukrainian doctors, the situation is even more dismal: out of 1928 attempts, only 165 were successful, which is 8.5%. Even Poles who studied abroad pass this test in only one out of ten cases.

Experts attribute such low results to the very structure of education. As Damian Patecki, coordinator of the training department of the Supreme Medical Chamber (Naczelna Izba Lekarska), explains, the Polish system operates according to the "Prussian model." It is characterized by strict requirements for procedures, documentation, and a lack of room for arbitrariness.

Nostrification

The alternative path — diploma nostrification — is even more complex and financially demanding. Each attempt to pass it costs about 5,000 zloty (about 1370 dollars).

In addition to diploma recognition, knowledge of the Polish language must also be confirmed. This requires passing an exam at the Supreme Medical Chamber, which includes a dictation of medical terminology and an oral part. After this, the candidate must complete postgraduate internship and pass the final exam for doctors (Lekarski Egzamin Końcowy – LEK).

However, doctors who have already worked in Polish hospitals for several years under the simplified procedure do not always have to redo their internships: the time worked can be credited towards their experience.

At the same time, problems also arise with the recognition of specializations. For example, if an internship in surgery in Ukraine lasts 3 years, then similar residency training in Poland takes 5 years.

As a result, as Damian Patecki notes, in Poland, doctors over thirty usually have one specialization; in Ukraine — four. However, these are not specializations in the understanding of the European system, where a doctor must first complete an internship, then begin specialized training, pass an exam, and submit documentation confirming the performance of several thousand procedures.

Polish commissions meticulously compare curricula, the number of lecture hours, and — most importantly — the number and type of independently performed operations. If differences are found, the doctor may be sent for additional training in Polish clinics, which usually lasts one to two years.

Language Certificate

However, issues of diploma and specialization recognition are not the only obstacles foreign doctors face in Poland. As Rzeczpospolita notes, in recent months, the problem of confirming knowledge of the Polish language has also come into focus.

The President of Poland vetoed a law that was supposed to extend the deadline for submitting language certificates (B1 level) for non-EU medical professionals working in Poland under the simplified procedure, until May 1, 2027. As a result, regional chambers began to revoke conditional work permits for those foreign doctors who did not submit a document confirming their knowledge of Polish language on time.

According to data from the Supreme Medical Chamber cited by Rzeczpospolita, by June 11, 441 medical professionals from outside the European Union had already lost their right to work in Poland. Most such decisions were made in the Lower Silesian Chamber in Wroclaw — 129, in the Warsaw District Chamber — 99, in Warmia-Masuria — 52, and in Greater Poland — 42. It is estimated that this number could increase by another 800 people.

This situation led to an open conflict between the Supreme Medical Chamber of Poland and the Ministry of Health. The former insists that it is obliged to deprive foreign doctors who have not confirmed their knowledge of Polish within the statutory deadlines of their right to work. The Ministry, however, questioned such actions and appealed to law enforcement agencies. As a result, the prosecutor's office has already joined the dispute.

• 4
• 0
• 1
• 0
• 1
• 0
• 0
• 0