Career change as a doctor
With your experience you can switch to 9 jobs in Germany: 8 with on-the-job training and 1 with training or a course.
In the job search you can sort by what matters to you, save jobs and see where they lead.
Career change paths
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Medical officer at a medical chamber or Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassenärztliche Vereinigung)
Also: Public health policy advisor in a ministry
With on-the-job training
At chambers, associations of statutory health insurance physicians, health insurance funds or ministries, you work on care contracts, guidelines and statements.
- What you bring:
- You know from patient care where rules, billing and care planning get stuck in daily practice.
- How to get there:
- Chambers, funds and authorities train doctors on the job in committee work and social law. Further training in health economics or public health can help.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€7,632gross per monthMedian salary
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Medical science liaison manager
Also: Medical specialist officer in the pharmaceutical industry
With on-the-job training
In pharma or medical technology companies, you are the scientific contact for doctors and explain data on medicines or products.
- What you bring:
- You can assess studies and therapies professionally and know what questions colleagues in private practice have.
- How to get there:
- Pharma companies train doctors on the job in indications, study evidence and drug law, usually over a few months. Expect travel, and good English is expected.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€6,758gross per monthMedian salary
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Lecturer at a nursing school
Also: Lecturer at an emergency services school
With on-the-job training
At nursing schools, emergency services schools or health care vocational schools, you teach medical subjects and conduct exams.
- What you bring:
- You can explain pathology, pharmacology and emergency medicine in a practical way.
- How to get there:
- Schools and training providers employ doctors as lecturers, sometimes on a freelance or part-time basis. A course in teaching methods lasting a few weeks makes it easier to get started. For permanent positions, an additional teaching qualification is sometimes expected.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light€5,140gross per monthMedian salary
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Medical director of a medical care center (MVZ)
Also: Medical director of a rehabilitation clinic
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
In the medical management of a medical care center (MVZ) or a clinic, you steer care, staff and quality and treat fewer patients yourself.
- What you bring:
- You know how a practice operates, how billing works and how to lead a team.
- How to get there:
- Providers of care centers and clinics fill management positions with experienced specialist doctors. Further training in health management or medical leadership, lasting a few months, is often expected.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office€14,269gross per monthMedian salary
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Medical controller
Also: Consultant for clinics and practices
With on-the-job training
In medical controlling or consultancies, you check coding and billing and improve processes in clinics.
- What you bring:
- You know diagnoses, treatment processes and documentation and can combine medical and business questions.
- How to get there:
- Clinics train doctors on the job in billing systems and coding. Courses on this take a few weeks. Part-time further training in medical controlling is helpful but not a must.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office€5,576gross per monthMedian salary
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Medical journalist
Also: Medical editor
With on-the-job training
At trade publishers, health portals or newsrooms, you write and check articles for professional audiences or laypeople.
- What you bring:
- You can explain medical topics clearly and read studies critically.
- How to get there:
- Trade publishers and health portals train doctors with writing experience on the job, and writing samples are important. You can start freelance alongside medical work or apply for permanent positions.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€4,728gross per monthMedian salary
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Medical advisor in the pharmaceutical industry
Also: Physician in clinical research
With on-the-job training
In pharma or medical technology companies, you assess studies, advise development and sales teams on medical questions and stay in contact with specialist doctors and clinics.
- What you bring:
- You know clinical presentations, therapies and the study evidence in your field first-hand.
- How to get there:
- Companies and research service providers hire specialist doctors directly and train them on the job in drug law, study planning and internal processes. Experience as an investigator in clinical trials is a big advantage.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an officeHome office possible€8,516gross per monthMedian salary
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Medical writer
Also: Medical specialist author
With on-the-job training
As a medical writer, you write study reports, approval documents and specialist texts for pharma companies and research service providers, often with the option of working from home.
- What you bring:
- You can read studies, classify medical data and write precisely.
- How to get there:
- Pharma companies and agencies train doctors on the job in templates, guidelines and processes, and courses in medical writing lasting a few days help. Very good English is almost always expected.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€5,083gross per monthMedian salary
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Occupational physician (Betriebsarzt)
Also: Specialist in occupational medicine
With further training
As an occupational physician, you advise companies, carry out preventive checkups for employees and support their return to work after illness, usually without night and emergency duty.
- What you bring:
- You know common diseases, prevention and the effects of strain at work from general practice.
- How to get there:
- You need occupational medicine expertise (arbeitsmedizinische Fachkunde), usually through the additional title in occupational medicine (Betriebsmedizin) or specialist training in occupational medicine. The state medical chamber (Landesärztekammer) regulates courses and training periods. Occupational health services and large companies often hire doctors during their training.*Regulated by law (Occupational Safety Act (ASiG) § 4).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€7,632gross per monthMedian salary
Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs can I do as a doctor without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Medical officer at a medical chamber or Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassenärztliche Vereinigung), Medical science liaison manager, Lecturer at a nursing school, Medical director of a medical care center (MVZ), Medical controller, Medical journalist, Medical advisor in the pharmaceutical industry and Medical writer.
Which retraining or further training suits me as a doctor?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Occupational physician (Betriebsarzt).
What promotion options do I have as a doctor?
Promotions include, for example: Medical director of a medical care center (MVZ).
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Medical director of a medical care center (MVZ) (€14,269 gross per month), Medical advisor in the pharmaceutical industry (€8,516 gross per month) and Occupational physician (Betriebsarzt) (€7,632 gross per month). Half of employees earn more, half earn less; when you start it is often lower. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), April 2025. No guarantee of accuracy.
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