Working in emergency medical services in Poland

Polish emergency medical teams are experiencing staff shortages at all levels. However, doctors are the most in-demand professionals. Therefore, a qualified foreign physician will have no difficulty finding work in emergency medical services in Poland.

To ensure that the entire process—from finding a suitable vacancy to starting work—takes a foreign specialist minimal time, effort, and resources, we offer real and effective employment assistance to professionals from post-Soviet countries, in particular Ukraine and Belarus.

Where can one find employment within the Polish emergency medical system?

The answer to this question depends on the candidate’s qualifications. Since 2010, four types of emergency medical teams have been operating in Poland:

• specialized teams — marked with the letter S. A physician must be present in these teams. Depending on specialization, this may be a general practitioner, anesthesiologist-resuscitator, traumatologist, pediatrician, cardiologist, psychiatrist, and others;

• basic teams — marked with the letter P. These teams handle non-complex calls and operate without a physician;

• transport teams — marked with the letter T, responsible for transporting patients who do not require continuous monitoring during transit and also function without a physician;

• air teams — so-called air ambulance services, with an emergency medicine specialist included in the crew.

It is possible to find work in emergency medical services in Poland both in public and private mobile ambulance teams and in emergency departments operating within hospitals (SOR).

Working conditions in emergency medical services in Poland

Foreign doctors who have already become familiar with this field speak of it in exclusively positive terms.

First, physicians in Poland, including those working in emergency and urgent care services, receive competitive salaries — starting from 9,700 PLN gross per month, with further increases over time. Night shifts and additional working days are paid separately.

Salaries of mid-level medical staff are, of course, lower than those of physicians, but still significantly exceed offers in the candidates’ home countries.

Second, the provision of medications, instruments, and seasonal uniforms is at a high level, as is the equipment of ambulances, which is renewed every 5 years. At the same time, foreign specialists note the reliability and convenience of Polish emergency vehicles.

Third, substations are equipped with comfortable and functional rest areas for teams between calls.

What is required to get a job in Polish emergency medical services?

To work in emergency medical services in Poland, it is necessary to have a medical diploma from an educational institution in your home country, at least 3 years of experience in a relevant position within the last 5 years, as well as authorization to work in the Polish medical sector and an emergency physician license.

In addition, you will need to officially confirm knowledge of the Polish language with a focus on medical terminology. However, there is no need to complete diploma nostrification in advance — it can be done after employment and receipt of the first salary.