Salary of physicians in university hospitals in Germany
Doctors have their own collective agreement with the 34 university hospitals in Germany, which involves higher standard working hours but also stipulates higher salaries for university physicians compared to colleagues who are paid on the basis of the TdL (federal states' collective agreement). Physicians at university hospitals often divide their day-to-day work between the caring for patients, research and teaching. If their research work predominates for longer than twelve months, they fall into the TdL category. Medical representatives have been denouncing this situation for years, as it reduces physicians' motivation to do research.
The tripartite division of physicians activities gives them more variety and interdisciplinary contacts, but they often sacrifice their free time as a result. According to a survey, three-quarters of physicians at university clinics work more than 48 hours a week, of these 23% more than 60 hours a week.
Salary in medicine: Differences between disciplines
As in the case of clinics, the salaries of physicians range widely depending on their specialist area. While the average surgeon earns a six-digit gross annual salary at €103,000, a general practitioner earns almost €40,000 less at €65,944. Although collective agreements treat all specialists equally, additional pay for night and on-call services or personnel responsibility result in salary differences.
What does a dentist in Germany earn?
For prospective dentists, the trend towards employment in a practice has been evident for years. Founding or taking over a practice is no longer an option for many. The salary of an employed dentist varies widely and ranges between €34,500 and €54,200 per year. It increases considerably with growing experience, as illustrated by the additional article "Salary dentistry".
An underrated area: Medical technology
Their work is omnipresent in medical practices and clinics, yet they are often excluded from consideration in the professional field of medicine: medical technology. According to a survey, in 2016 the annual salary of engineers in the industry averaged €65,292 – €8,000 higher than the general average salaries of professionals and executives. At €48,038, earnings at the start of their career are only just below the starting salary of physicians. However, differences can be noted within the field of work: Large corporations pay better, women earn less than men and the salaries of medical technicians in Germany are higher in the north than those the south.
