Lack of doctors in Perleberg: Municipal scholarship for young doctors!

Lack of doctors in Perleberg: Municipal scholarship for young doctors!

Perleberg, Deutschland - The discussion about medical care in rural regions of Brandenburg picks up speed. On June 12, 2025, the left-wing parliamentary group in Perleberg proposed a municipal doctoral scholarship to counteract the impending lack of doctors. The scholarship is intended to offer young doctors financial support during their studies so that they are committed in return to practice in Perleberg after their training. The aim is to bind to the city in particular and to secure a nationwide medical care in the region. According to svz.de , the left-wing parliamentary group also makes the proposal to plan funds for the scholarship 2026 and work out a corresponding guideline by the end of June 2025

The need for a scholarship

The warnings of a shortage of doctors in the Prignitz are not unfounded: over 40 percent of general practitioners are older than 60 years, and only 4 percent of medical students are able to work in rural areas. This is also reflected in the experiences of other rural areas. In Saxony, for example, you fight with similar challenges. Ten general practitioners are already missing in the Altlandkreis Weißwasser, and a medical care center (MVZ) is founded in the neighboring community of Krauschwitz to alleviate the deficiency. Two general practitioners are scheduled to start here in July, and a municipal society for the management of the MVZ is being planned, as mdr.de

Perspectives for young medical professionals

Fred Fischer from the Perleberger city guard's voter group underlines the connection between the scholarship and the planned MVZ. The creation of an MVZ in Perleberg could be an attractive way for young doctors to work in rural areas without having to worry about the financial hurdles of their own practice. This would be particularly important for freshly trained doctors who are often unable to financially wear their own practice. As a rule, doctors in an MVZ would work as employees, which takes the bureaucratic effort and the financial risk.

challenges in rural health care

Medical care in rural areas, including Brandenburg, faces major challenges. Fewer doctors per inhabitant, long journey routes to medical facilities and a greater need for specialized services are just a few of the problems that need to be mastered. According to the analyzes of the bpb.de , access to health services in rural regions is limited, which is a major topic, especially for older people with higher care needs. Innovative care concepts, such as telemedical solutions or the cooperation between different practices, could help close these gaps.

Mayor Axel Schmidt comments concerned about the deadline for the development of the guideline for the scholarship and describes it as irrational. Nevertheless, the topic is now passed on to the responsible specialist committees, with a meeting in the Finance Committee on July 1. The chance of improved medical care in Perleberg could be increased by creating the scholarship and the MVZ, which laid the foundation stone for future -proof health care.