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

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

The discussion about medical care in rural regions of Brandenburg is gaining momentum. On June 12, 2025, the Left parliamentary group in Perleberg proposed a municipal doctor's scholarship in order to counteract the impending shortage of doctors. The scholarship is intended to offer young doctors financial support during their studies so that in return they commit to practicing in Perleberg after their training. The aim is to bind general practitioners and specialists to the city in particular and to ensure comprehensive medical care in the region. Loud svz.de The Left parliamentary group also proposes to budget money for the scholarship in the 2026 budget and to develop a corresponding guideline by the end of June 2025.

The need for a scholarship

The warnings about a shortage of doctors in Prignitz are not unfounded: over 40 percent of family doctors are older than 60 years, and only 4 percent of medical students see themselves in a position to work in rural areas. This is also reflected in the experiences of other rural areas. In Saxony, for example, people are struggling with similar challenges. There is already a shortage of ten family doctors in the old district of Weißwasser, and a medical care center (MVZ) is being founded in the neighboring community of Krauschwitz to alleviate the shortage. Two family doctors are scheduled to start here in July, and a municipal company to manage the MVZ is being planned mdr.de reported.

Perspectives for young doctors

Fred Fischer from the Perleberger Stadtwächter voter group underlines the connection between the scholarship and the planned MVZ. The creation of an MVZ in Perleberg could represent an attractive opportunity for young doctors to work in rural areas without having to worry about the financial hurdles of owning their own practice. This would be particularly important for newly trained doctors, who are often unable to financially support their own practice. As a rule, doctors would work in an MVZ as employees, which relieves them of the bureaucratic effort and financial risk.

Challenges in rural healthcare

Medical care in rural areas, including Brandenburg, faces major challenges. Fewer doctors per capita, long journeys to medical facilities and a greater need for specialized services are just some of the problems that need to be addressed. According to the analyses bpb.de Access to health services is limited in rural regions, which is a major issue, particularly for older people with greater care needs. Innovative care concepts, such as telemedicine solutions or cooperation between different practices, could help close these gaps.

Mayor Axel Schmidt expressed concern about the tight deadline for developing the scholarship guidelines and described them as irrational. Nevertheless, the issue will now be passed on to the responsible specialist committees, with a meeting in the Finance Committee on July 1st. The chance of improved medical care in Perleberg could be increased through the creation of the scholarship and the MVZ, which lays the foundation for future-proof healthcare.