After the National Board of Health has approved your foreign medical qualifications you must first of all pass a Danish language test: Danish 3 Examination (Prøve i Dansk 3). The exam consists of a written and an oral part. The written exam is made up of a reading comprehension test and a written test and the oral exam consists of a test of oral communication combined with listening comprehension. You must pass the test in oral communication with the grade 10. The written test and the test in reading comprehension must both be passed with the grade 7. You must pay the test fee yourself. If you have received a Danish civil registration number (cpr.nummer.), you may contact your caseworker at the local council (kommune) to hear whether the council might pay for the Danish course as well as the test. You are not required to pass the exam if you have already passed it 12 months prior to the date when the National Board of Health approved you foreign qualifications. Likewise, you are not required to pass the exam if you have continuously stayed in Denmark in the period after you passed the exam or if you have e.g. completed a Danish upper secondary education (gymnasial uddannelse).
Step 2
Having passed Danish 3 Examination and forwarded documentation hereof to the Board, you may proceed to the written and oral medical test and the course in Danish health legislation. The tests are in Danish and are free of charge. You are given three attempts in each test and in the course in Danish health legislation.
Written medical test
The written medical test is in Danish and takes place at the University of Copenhagen. The test lasts 4 hours and comprises questions related to internal medicine and surgery. The level of the test corresponds to the level that is required of Danish medical graduates. The test is evaluated as pass/fail.
Oral medical test
The oral medical test is in Danish and takes place at the University of Copenhagen. The test lasts two hours, during which you go through a number of stations, in which you are examined on a one-to-one basis with an impartial examiner and either real or simulated patients. You might be asked to demonstrate lifesaving skills in one station and explain and account for symptoms, diagnosis and treatment in another station. The test is evaluated as pass/fail.
You may register for the tests at the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health Sciences. The tests will most likely be held in the months of April and November. Please visit the website of the University of Copenhagen (only available in Danish) to learn more about the tests.
Course in Danish health legislation
The course in Danish health legislation is in Danish and is held by the National Board of Health. The course is of three days, each day including a small test. The course is held when a sufficient number of participants have registered for the course. When the course has been organized, you can find information about registration, content, etc., on this website.
Step 3
Once you have passed Danish 3 Examination, the written and oral medical tests and successfully completed the course in Danish health legislation, you may proceed with finding a position for adaptation and training purposes (evalueringsansættelse). You will be paid and work according to general employment conditions.
Non-specialist
Being a non-specialist doctor, you must apply for a position for adaptation and training purposes (evalueringsansættelse) in a department that trains Danish medical graduates (klinisk basisuddannelse). The period of employment is 12 months and includes compulsory courses. In the process of the employment, the department will evaluate your clinical and communicative skills. The department is thus obliged to sending reports to the National Board of Health after 1, 3 and 12 months.
Having been offered the position, you must apply the National Board of Health for an “evalueringsautorisation" (authorization for adaptation and clinical training purposes). The authorization is issued for 12 months to be used in connection with the position (evalueringsansættelse).
You cannot commence work before having been issued with an "evalueringsautorisation".
Specialist
Being a specialist doctor in a speciality that currently exists in Denmark, you must apply for a position for adaptation and training purposes (evalueringsansættelse) in a department that trains Danish specialists within your specialty. If you are a specialist in general medicine (family medicine), you must apply for a position with a general practitioner approved by the “Regionale Råd for Lægers Videreuddannelse” to have specialist trainees in general medical practise. The period of employment is 6 months and in this period the department or general practitioner will evaluate your clinical and communicative skills. The department or general practitioner will send reports regarding your basic clinical skills as well as your specialist skills to the National Board of Health after 1, 3 and 6 months.
Having been offered the position, you must apply the National Board of Health for an “evalueringsautorisation" (authorization for adaptation and clinical training purposes). The authorization is issued for 6 months to be used in connection with the position (evalueringsansættelse).
You cannot commence work before having been issued with an "evalueringsautorisation".
Certificate of good standing
When applying for "evalueringsautorisation" a new certificate of good standing and an updated curriculum vitae must be forwarded to the National Board of Health. If you have stayed in Denmark the entire period from the date of the letter in which your foreign medical qualifications were approved, the Board, however, will accept documentation which verifies this fact and you will thus not be required to have a certificate of good standing sent to the Board.
Negative assessment
If in the process of your employment the National Board of Health receives a negative assessment from your employer and the employer is convinced that you will not be able to improve your clinical and/or communicative skills, your employment is terminated. The National Board of Health will then consider the further process.
Successful completion of employment
Having successfully completed your 6 or 12 months employment you will automatically be awarded a Danish authorization. At the same time you may apply for a permission to work independently as a medical doctor. You must pay a fee for the permission.
Danish title as a specialist
After having received Danish permission to work independently as a medical doctor, you may apply one of the three “Regionale Råd for Lægers Videreuddannelse” for an assessment of your completed specialist training with a view to additional training in Denmark, if any. The evaluation that has already been made during your 6 months’ employment will be included in the assessment. Having made an assessment, the “Regionale Råd for Lægers Videreuddannelse” will let you know which courses and additional training you must complete (if any) in order to be able to apply for registration as a specialist with the National Board of Health. Residence and work permits
You may apply for Danish residence and work permits at the Danish Immigration Service (Udlændingeservice), Ryesgade 53, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, or if you live abroad at a Danish Embassy or Consulate. Residence and work permits must be obtained before you take up employment.
You can read more about the requirements in Bekendtgørelse (Order no.) nr. 1372 af 9. december 2010 om autorisation af læger, der er statsborger i og/eller uddannet i lande udenfor EU/EØS (only available in Danish, however). You find a link to the Bekendtgørelse (Order) in the box to the right.
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