Majority of Medical Students Open to Opening Their Own Practice

The majority of medical students in Saxony are open to setting up a practice, even in a rural area. This was the finding of a survey commissioned by Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) and conducted at universities in the Free State of Saxony. According to the survey, 71 percent of respondents can imagine setting up a practice in the future, 21 percent are undecided, and 8 percent are opposed to the idea. The results of this sample provided a snapshot of the students’ attitudes, according to the report.

One-fifth do not want to work in rural areas under any circumstances

According to TK, although the next generation of doctors stated that rural areas are not among their preferred regions for setting up a practice, “But for only 19 percent of the sample is setting up a practice in a rural region not an option under any circumstances,” the report stated. 

Good transportation links, proximity to a larger city, a reliable medical infrastructure, financial support, and local amenities such as schools and daycare centers are most frequently cited as conditions for working there.

Good Infrastructure a Prerequisite for Setting Up Practice

Scholarships or grants for setting up a practice are important and are explicitly sought after by students, emphasized TK Director Alexander Krauß. Policymakers and self-governing bodies should expand these offerings in a targeted manner.

At the same time, rural communities must highlight their locational advantages: good infrastructure, assistance with setting up a practice and finding housing, as well as reliable educational opportunities for children could be the deciding factors in convincing young doctors to settle in the area permanently.

Filling Vacancies in Rural Medical Practices Is a Problem

According to Stefan Windau, Chairman of the Board of the Saxony Association of Panel Physicians, demographic change is making it particularly difficult to fill vacancies in medical practices, especially in Saxony’s rural regions. “Supporting continuing education and the work of panel doctors is a key component here for ensuring comprehensive outpatient care across the region in the future. However, well-functioning regional infrastructures that serve the entire community are also crucial.”

Young Doctors Want a Balance Between Family and Career

Another finding from the survey: For nearly all of the students surveyed (98 percent) who can envision setting up their own practice or are still undecided, a good work-life balance—balancing career, family, and personal life—is particularly important as a motivation for establishing their own practice. Also important are more flexible work arrangements and reliably predictable working hours (95 percent), fewer on-call, night, and weekend shifts (88 percent), and more time to treat patients (78 percent).

Almost all students want targeted preparation during their medical studies

92 percent of students want targeted preparation for setting up their own practice already during their medical studies. Business, legal, and administrative topics related to running their own practice are particularly important to them. A look at Bavaria reveals possible approaches, the report continued. There, the elective course “Setting Up a Practice with Confidence” is already offered at the universities of Munich, Erlangen, and Würzburg. 

“A similar program at medical schools in Saxony could help alleviate students’ concerns and give them greater confidence as they take the step toward self-employment,” emphasized TK CEO Krauß.

The survey was conducted in cooperation with the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences in Zwickau. The survey was carried out in November and December 2025. A total of 63 medical students in Saxony were surveyed. They were 25 years old on average, predominantly female, and the majority were from Saxony.