According to the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVN), Lower Saxony will have to find hundreds of new general practitioners in the next few years. There are already 466 open family doctor seats in the country, the KVN explained at the request of the German Press Agency. And more are likely to follow: According to the KVN, around 1,450 of the current 5,200 general practitioners are expected to retire by 2035, i.e. more than one in four. "This gap must be closed," said a spokesman. The average age of current doctors is 55.5 years.

The growing shortage of doctors has occupied state politics for years. Among other things, the so-called country doctor quota should help, with which part of the medical study places are given preference to applicants who commit to working as a family doctor in underserved regions for ten years. From March 1st, those interested can apply for these reserved study places for the first time.

Draft Law on Land Doctors Application Portal