Healthcare in Berlin

Healthcare has a wide range of professions: specialists are always required in this sector, from occupational and physiotherapists, general and geriatric nurses, to vets. 

In the capital, around 164,000 people are already employed in this sector, providing medical care for approximately 3.7 million Berlin residents. As Germany’s largest city, there is sustained high demand for qualified staff in Berlin, meaning that job prospects will also see a positive trend in the long term. 

With over 130 clinics, 70 rehab centres and more than 800 care homes, Berlin has a unique network of medical facilities. The collaboration with research institutions, in particular, attracts renowned scientists, innovative start-ups and specialist professionals to the city on the River Spree.

One example of this is Berliner Charité, Europe’s largest teaching hospital. In the practical research at the hospital, more than 4,000 scientists and doctors manage around 1,000 projects specialising in neuroscience, rare diseases and oncology, among other things. Two of Germany’s largest private hospital groups, Vivantes and Helios, also have subsidiaries in the capital.

The German Heart Centre also enjoys an excellent reputation far beyond Europe – the medical achievements of its colleagues set European standards for cardiological treatments. From 2021, Europe’s most modern heart centre is set to be built at the Virchow-Klinikum campus – so it’s hardly surprising that this attracts a great many health tourists to the capital. Every year, 17,000 to 21,000 people currently come to Berlin for outpatient, inpatient or simple wellbeing treatments.

Aside from private hospitals and research institutions, Berlin Administration also provides many job opportunities, such as for pediatric and adolescent specialists or psychiatrists in its health department and for surgeons or neurologists in the police, for example, while facilities managers, psychotherapists and head doctors’ secretaries are also required in the public sector, as well as nursing, healthcare and medical education professionals.

OUR TIP

In order to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, Berlin’s hospitals and treatment centres need the help of all its medically trained residents. The new Corona Zentrum Berlin is calling upon medically qualified fellow citizens to get involved. Jobs for doctors, qualified nursing staff and auxiliaries, medical students, paramedics, physiotherapists & volunteers! 

Study and training opportunities in Berlin’s healthcare sector

To complete the research and care landscape of Berlin’s health system, Berlin has around 100 courses specialising in this field. Be it health psychology, midwifery or public health – almost 20 universities and colleges offer a wide range of courses and specialisms. Together, they provide tomorrow’s highly qualified staff. Charité alone trains around 7,500 aspiring medics.