Survey: 71% of medical students in Saxony open to opening own practice, including rural areas

Survey findings

A survey commissioned by Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) at universities in Saxony found that 71% of medical students can imagine opening their own practice in the future, 21% are undecided, and 8% reject the idea. The results provide a snapshot of student attitudes, the survey noted. While rural areas are not among the preferred regions for settlement, only 19% of respondents said a rural location is under no circumstances an option.

Conditions for rural practice

The most frequently cited conditions for working in a rural area include good transport connections, proximity to a larger city, reliable medical infrastructure, financial support, and local offerings such as schools and kindergartens. TK chief Alexander Krauß emphasized that stipends or subsidies for establishing a practice are important and are explicitly requested by students. Politics and self-administration should expand these offerings in a targeted manner.

Infrastructure and family compatibility

Rural municipalities must make their locational advantages visible, Krauß said. Good infrastructure, help with practice establishment and apartment searches, and reliable educational offerings for children could tip the balance for young doctors to settle permanently. Stefan Windau, board chairman of the Kassenärztliche Vereinigung Sachsen, said demographic change makes filling rural practice vacancies particularly difficult. He called support for further training and contracted medical activity a building block for maintaining comprehensive outpatient care, but added that functioning societal infrastructure in the regions is also decisive.

Student priorities

For 98% of respondents who can imagine a practice or are undecided, good compatibility of work, family, and private life is particularly important. Flexible and reliably plannable working hours matter to 95%, fewer on-call, night, and weekend shifts to 88%, and more time for patient treatment to 78%. Additionally, 92% of students want targeted preparation for practice establishment already during medical studies, especially on business, legal, and administrative topics. A Bavarian elective course called "Ohne Sorge in die Niederlassung" offered at universities in Munich, Erlangen, and Würzburg was cited as a possible model. Krauß said a similar offering at medical faculties in Saxony could reduce student concerns and give them more security for the step into self-employment.

The survey was conducted in cooperation with the Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau and was carried out in November.