International Training Opportunities

Since its inception in 1993, our department has been dedicated to offering excellent and comprehensive training in plastic surgery. Following training opportunities exist at our institution:

• Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Program (6 years)
• Independent Plastic Surgery Residency Program (4 years)
• Hand Surgery Fellowship (3 years)
• Student rotations

These training opportunities are open to European Medical Graduates as well as International Medical Graduates alike. We have a strong tradition in training foreign residents up to board certification. Several former residents have acquired senior positions as plastic surgeons in their home countries. The chairman is privileged for the full board certified residency training in Plastic Surgery (6 years) and Hand Surgery (3 years).

We welcome international visitors and has many contacts around the world. Residents benefit of a wide exposure to all fields of plastic surgery, and all residents so far have had no problem to complete the full list of procedures required for board examination eligibility. Board certification as a subspecialist in Hand Surgery requires previous board eligibilty in plastic surgery, orthopaedic surgery or surgery.

Due to financial restrictions, we are sorry that foreign applicants usually cannot be considered for a paid resident or fellow position and have to rely for their living expenses on a grant from their government or other sponsorship (at least 800 € per month plus coverage for health insurance). Government sponsorship and support from your embassy strongly facilitates paperwork procedures. To receive the necessary qualifications and evaluations for board admission international residents are required to participate in all functions (on-call, paperwork, seminars) as their German peers. Special training in Aesthetic Surgery will be provided by the affiliation with the Erich-Lexer-Klinik.

Applications

All applications should be sent in writing to PD Dr. Holger Bannasch, Vice Chairman, Division of Plastic and Hand Surgery. They should include:

• Letter of Motivation
• CV with recent photograph
• Certificates of previous academic and clinical training
• Operative log book (if applicable)
• At least 2 letters of evaluation from previous Program Directors
• A copy of your passport identification page
• A notarised certificate of your grant / training scholarship (duration, amount) in German or English

A final decision will be made after a personal interview, which requires a visit of at least one day. A longer visit for mutual acquaintance is strongly advised. On acceptance you will receive a 6 month’s hospitation contract to be extended on probation.

Formal Requirements

Both, residency or clinical fellowship, will require a visa, residential permit, and temporary working licence:

• Visa: the visa must be applied for at a German consulate in your country, also information regarding “Aufenthaltserlaubnis” = residential permit.
• Residential Permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis): this will be issued by the City of Freiburg Foreigner’s Office (Amt für Öffentliche Ordnung, Ausländeramt) after you have visited the Resident Registration Bureau (Amt für Öffentliche Ordnung, Bürgeramt (Einwohnermeldeamt).
• Temporary medical license (Berufserlaubnis): this will require the proof of good German language capabilities with a language certificate (as received after an intensive language course at a Goethe Institute. The license will be issued by the Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart (Landesprüfungsamt für Medizin und Pharmazie).
• For the visa health insurance will be required

Helpful Web Pages and Addresses

• German Academic Exchange Service (funding, general information) - DAAD
• University of Freiburg (for contacts and support see: International Office )
• Medical State Board – Landesärztekammer (see Weiterbildung – Weiterbildungsordnung/PDF Board Certification in „Plastische Chirurgie“) and National Medical Board - Bundesärztekammer (Themen A-Z – Auslandsdienst)
• University of Freiburg Medical Center
• German Association of Plastic Surgeons 
• Humboldt Foundation
• Study in Germany
• Hotels, local informations: City of Freiburg