A Syrian doctor is banned from working because of a piece of paper!
The ARD channel's "Morgenmagazin" program hosted Syrian doctor Alaa Maksoud on Tuesday morning, who arrived in Germany at the age of 23 after completing her medical studies in Syria, aspiring to work in her medical field. However, she was surprised by the difficult reality of German bureaucracy. Despite her proficiency in the German language and successfully passing the equivalency exam, she was not allowed to work as a doctor.
The reason, as Alaa explained, is the lack of a secondary document from Syria, described as "unnecessary", but it was enough to disrupt her professional future. She recounted that she was ready to offer her medical services to help people, but alternative jobs were suggested to her, such as food distribution. Alaa expressed her pain by saying, "This is a very sad story... I have been delayed all this time just because of a simple paper that could have been overlooked."
When the presenter asked her about the waiting period, Alaa replied: "I waited a year until the exam date." The presenter responded in astonishment: "A whole year? Just because of one paper? Even though you are qualified and ready to work?"
Alia's case was not the only one; she mentioned that a colleague of hers – a specialist doctor – submitted all his papers since March 2023 to obtain an official evaluation that would enable him to work, but to this day he has not received any response. She said he is willing to accept an entry-level position as a medical assistant, but to no avail.
More than two years passed before Alaa was finally allowed to start her specialized training at a hospital in Bielefeld as a surgeon. At the end of the meeting, the presenter thanked Dr. Alaa for her patience and determination in serving patients in Germany.