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Medical professions

In Poland, each medical profession has its own act and its own self-governing professional body, which grants the licence to practise (PWZ). Below we describe the route for people with a diploma from outside the European Union. You will find the general rules of nostrification in the guide, and the exams at the Medical Examinations Centre (CEM) on the Exams page.

Doctor

Legal basis: the Act on the Professions of Doctor and Dentist (consolidated text Dz.U. 2026 poz. 37). The Ministry of Health describes the order of the steps as follows:

  1. Nostrification of the diploma or a pass in LEW. Nostrification is carried out by a university with category A+, A or B+ in medical sciences. LEW, the verification exam for doctors, is taken at the Medical Examinations Centre, in Polish only.
  2. Postgraduate internship or its recognition by the Minister of Health. The Minister may recognise at least 2 years of full-time work at a publicly funded institution within the last 4 years as the internship. For the duration of the internship, you are granted a licence to practise for the purpose of completing it.
  3. A pass in LEK, the final exam for doctors, at the Medical Examinations Centre.
  4. Polish language exam held by the Supreme Medical Council (NRL), unless you studied in Polish.

The full licence to practise is granted by the regional medical council (okręgowa rada lekarska). It also requires full legal capacity, a state of health that allows you to practise and impeccable ethical conduct.

Details of LEW and LEK: LEW, LEK. Universities that nostrify doctors’ diplomas: university catalogue.

Prepare for this exam on MedMigrant.com: questions with explanations, a timed exam mode and review of your mistakes. Go to MedMigrant.com

Dentist

The route is the same as for doctors, with the dental equivalents of the exams:

  1. Nostrification of the diploma or a pass in LDEW, the verification exam for dentists.
  2. Postgraduate internship or its recognition by the Minister of Health.
  3. A pass in LDEK, the final exam for dentists.
  4. Polish language exam held by the Supreme Medical Council.

The licence to practise is granted by the regional medical council. Universities that nostrify dentists’ diplomas: university catalogue.

Prepare for this exam on MedMigrant.com: questions with explanations, a timed exam mode and review of your mistakes. Go to MedMigrant.com

Nurse

Legal basis: the Act on the Professions of Nurse and Midwife (consolidated text Dz.U. 2026 poz. 15).

  1. Nostrification of the diploma at a university that offers a nursing degree programme and holds the appropriate scientific category. Your training must meet the minimum requirements of the European Union (Art. 28).
  2. Confirmation of knowledge of Polish. The professional body does not currently hold a language exam. Knowledge of the language is confirmed with a document, for example a certificate from the State Commission for the Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language (Państwowa Komisja do spraw Poświadczania Znajomości Języka Polskiego jako Obcego).
  3. Application for the licence to practise to the regional council of nurses and midwives (okręgowa rada pielęgniarek i położnych).

There is no CEM exam in this profession. The Ministry of Health is preparing a new act with a Polish language exam held by the Supreme Council of Nurses and Midwives. The Supreme Audit Office (NIK) has described cases in which recognition was refused for diplomas from ‘bridging studies’ and for ‘junior specialist’ diplomas. For this reason, before you apply, check whether your diploma corresponds to Polish first-cycle (bachelor’s) studies.

Universities that nostrify nurses’ diplomas: university catalogue.

Midwife

The rules are the same as for nurses (Art. 31 of the Act on the Professions of Nurse and Midwife): nostrification of the midwifery diploma, a document confirming knowledge of Polish and an application to the regional council of nurses and midwives. There is no CEM exam.

Universities that nostrify midwives’ diplomas: university catalogue.

Veterinarian

Legal basis: the Act on the Veterinary Profession and Veterinary Chambers (consolidated text Dz.U. 2026 poz. 125).

  1. Nostrification of the diploma at a university with category A+, A or B+ in the discipline of veterinary science. Your training must meet the minimum requirements of the European Union.
  2. Polish language exam held by the National Veterinary Council (Krajowa Rada Lekarsko-Weterynaryjna): four parts, at least 55% in each, fee PLN 1,000. People who completed veterinary studies in Polish are exempt.
  3. Application for the licence to practise to the regional veterinary council (okręgowa rada lekarsko-weterynaryjna) responsible for your place of work. The council decides on it no later than 3 months after a complete application is submitted.

Universities that nostrify veterinarians’ diplomas: university catalogue.

Pharmacist

Legal basis: the Act on the Profession of Pharmacist (consolidated text Dz.U. 2025 poz. 608). With a diploma from outside the EU, you have two routes:

  1. Nostrification of the diploma as equivalent to the Polish title of Master of Pharmacy, plus at least 6 months of practical training in a pharmacy.
  2. A pass in FEW, the verification exam for pharmacists (Farmaceutyczny Egzamin Weryfikacyjny) at CEM.

The licence to practise is granted by the Supreme Pharmaceutical Council (Naczelna Rada Aptekarska) within 3 months. Knowledge of Polish can be confirmed by an exam held by the Supreme Pharmaceutical Council. Universities that nostrify pharmacists’ diplomas: university catalogue.

Prepare for this exam on MedMigrant.com: questions with explanations, a timed exam mode and review of your mistakes. Go to MedMigrant.com

Physiotherapist

Legal basis: the Act on the Profession of Physiotherapist (consolidated text Dz.U. 2026 poz. 584).

  1. Nostrification of a diploma from outside the EU, EFTA and Switzerland.
  2. Polish language exam held by the National Council of Physiotherapists (Krajowa Rada Fizjoterapeutów).
  3. Application for the licence to practise, submitted electronically through the website of the National Chamber of Physiotherapists (Krajowa Izba Fizjoterapeutów). The fee for the document is PLN 100.

The State Physiotherapy Exam was abolished in 2022, so you do not need a CEM exam for the licence to practise. Universities that nostrify physiotherapists’ diplomas: university catalogue.

Other medical professions

  • Paramedic (Act on the Profession of Paramedic): the diploma must be recognised as equivalent to a Polish bachelor’s or master’s degree in this field. You also need the right of residence in Poland and confirmation of knowledge of Polish, for example through an exam held by the National Council of Paramedics (Krajowa Rada Ratowników Medycznych). The licence to practise is granted by the National Council of Paramedics within 3 months. The State Paramedic Exam no longer exists.
  • Laboratory diagnostician (Act on Laboratory Medicine): the diploma must be recognised as equivalent to the Polish master’s diploma in medical laboratory science. Knowledge of Polish is confirmed, among other ways, by an exam held by the National Council of Laboratory Diagnosticians (Krajowa Rada Diagnostów Laboratoryjnych). There is no professional exam.

Universities that nostrify diplomas in other medical professions: university catalogue.

Sources

  • Act on the Professions of Doctor and Dentist, Dz.U. 2026 poz. 37: eli.gov.pl
  • Ministry of Health, reply to parliamentary question No. 7226: sejm.gov.pl
  • Act on the Professions of Nurse and Midwife, Dz.U. 2026 poz. 15: sejm.gov.pl
  • NIK, audit P/20/077: nik.gov.pl
  • Ministry of Health, reply to parliamentary question No. 15516 on the new act: sejm.gov.pl
  • Act on the Veterinary Profession, Dz.U. 2026 poz. 125: eli.gov.pl
  • Regulation on the Polish language exam for veterinarians, Dz.U. 2004 nr 205 poz. 2101: eli.gov.pl
  • Act on the Profession of Pharmacist, Dz.U. 2025 poz. 608: eli.gov.pl
  • Act on the Profession of Physiotherapist, Dz.U. 2026 poz. 584: eli.gov.pl
  • Ministry of Health, licence to practise as a physiotherapist: gov.pl
  • Act on the Profession of Paramedic, Dz.U. 2025 poz. 339: eli.gov.pl
  • Act on Laboratory Medicine, Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1295: eli.gov.pl

Information as of 18 October 2026.