« Dear friends and colleagues

If you want to work as a doctor in the French private health system, you have to register with your nearest regional Conseil Départemental de l’Ordre des Médecins (the governing body of doctors in France). You will need to provide a European Medical Diploma and also a Diploma for a specialty recognised in the European Union. The validation procedure does not take long and your registration with the Conseil de l’Ordre de Médecins (the COM equivalent to the Aerzte Kammer in Germany) is very straightforward.

I became registered in this way in Troyes in the Aube.

Next, I contacted Sylvie Charlet, the Medical Director of Vitalia in Paris.

Then things moved really quickly: my CV (Lebenslauf) was sent to a number of private clinics in the Vitalia Group which had possible vacancies in my specialty. Subsequently I was invited to look around clinics in Lorient, Montluçon and Provins in quick succession. Everything was extremely well organised: hotels costs were covered and reservations made for me. I met the management team and then medical colleagues. I had the opportunity to visit the clinics and discuss the post in detail, the medical duties, salary scales, relocation to France, how the department was run, statistics, clinical practice, turnover etc. Often these discussions would continue at a restaurant in the evening.

In each instance I was able to undertake a period of paid temporary employment in order to get to know the clinic and the area better. Food and accommodation costs were met by Vitalia and my colleagues.

I have really appreciated Vitalia’s professionalism, the competency and efficiency of the doctors, not forgetting the kindness of all the staff.

Do not hesitate to contact Sylvie Charlet s.charlet@groupe‐vitalia.com or me Dr.J.F.Djamba@web.de (please feel free to leave your phone number if you are based in Germany). We look forward to helping you with your career move. »