Less than 9% of Ukrainian doctors passed the exam to work in Poland

Ukrainian doctors are increasingly finding it difficult to confirm their qualifications to work in Poland. This year's medical verification exam was successfully passed by less than 9% of Ukrainian citizens who sought to obtain the right to practice medicine in the country. Experts explain these results by the differences between medical education systems and the high requirements of the Polish model of physician training. This is reported by InPoland citing data from Rzeczpospolita.

How many Ukrainian doctors passed the exam in Poland

The medical verification exam Lekarski Egzamin Weryfikacyjny (LEW) took place this year on May 26.

The testing included:

• 89 doctors from Ukraine;

• 92 doctors from Belarus;

• 28 Polish citizens with diplomas obtained outside the EU.

Only 12 Ukrainians successfully passed the exam, accounting for 8.8% of all participants from Ukraine.

In comparison, among Belarusian medical professionals, 28 individuals or 31.5% achieved positive results, while among Poles with non-European diplomas, only two participants succeeded.

Doctors of other nationalities also participated in the testing, including citizens of Russia, but none of them met the required threshold.

Why the results remain so low

The LEW exam consists of 200 test questions with multiple choice answers.

To pass successfully, a minimum of 60% correct answers is required.

Statistics show that the success rate has remained low since the exam was launched in 2021.

Over this period, Ukrainian doctors attempted the LEW exam 1928 times, but only 165 attempts were successful, which accounts for about 8.5%.

According to Damian Patecki, the coordinator of the educational direction at the Supreme Medical Chamber of Poland, the reason is a significant difference between the training systems for medical professionals.

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What is the difference between Polish and Ukrainian medical education

The expert notes that Polish medicine is based on strict European standards, a large number of procedures, documentation, and clear requirements for physician training.

At the same time, the Ukrainian system has historically been shaped by the post-Soviet model.

Among the differences, Patecki cites the duration of specialization. For example, surgical training in Poland may last five years, while in Ukraine, a similar internship is usually shorter.

To work in Poland, doctors from non-EU countries must either pass the LEW exam or go through the diploma nostrification procedure. The latter involves additional costs, a language exam, and undergoing postgraduate practice.