Summary

Important information

Proposed by

Target audience

AudienceStatutory refugees, Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, Stateless people, Beneficiaries of temporary protection

Level of FrenchB2, C1, C2

AgeMore than 18 years

Requirements

Be in possession of a residence permit or a receipt

Have a end of high school level

Where is it?

All over France

Procedures

FormationTraining while working for specialist doctors or specialist pharmacists

Training while working for specialist doctors or specialist pharmacists

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What is it?

Do you have a diploma authorizing you to work as a specialist doctor or specialist pharmacist in a country outside the European Union OR have you started your specialty in one of these two sectors?

You can apply for a Diploma of Specialized Medical Training (DFMS) or for a Diploma of Advanced Specialized Medical Training (DFMSA). These diplomas make it possible to follow theoretical training and practical training courses.

The Diploma of Specialized Medical Training (DFMS) is a diploma open to foreign candidates (outside the European Union) holding a doctor's degree in medicine or pharmacy allowing practice in the country of origin and who are in the process of specialization. The training lasts from 2 to 6 semesters, depending on the number of practical training semesters remaining to be carried out in the country of origin.
The Diploma of Advanced Specialized Medical Training (DFMSA) is a diploma open to foreign candidates (outside the EU) who already hold a specialist doctor or specialist pharmacist diploma. The training lasts 2 semesters.

These two diplomas do not directly allow you to practice as a specialist in France. However, doctors and pharmacists registered with the DFMS and the DFMSA occupy a post of “Acting as an intern” (FFI in French) paid full-time by the hospital where they work during their training.

The status of Intern (AAI) is a good way to prepare for the knowledge check tests, necessary to request the final authorization to practice. It allows you to become familiar with the French medical system and to be put in touch with hospitals for the training needed to practice.

Please note that it is mandatory to have a minimum B2 level of French.

How to do it?

File No. 1 can be downloaded, from mid-October to January 15 of each year, on the website of the Faculty of Medicine of Strasbourg , which is responsible for checking the files for all of France.

By clicking here you will find the list of documents to provide and the address to send the file.

Candidates residing in France must send their application before January 15 of each year for entry in November.

You must send the file by post to this address:

Faculté de Médecine - Bureau des DFMS/A

4 rue Kirschleger

67085 STRASBOURG cedex

Eligibility responses are sent by email to each candidate by March 30th.

If file No. 1 has been selected, you must create file No. 2 and send it directly before April 15th to the universities preparing for your specialty and where you wish to apply. You must send a file for each university. You will find by clicking here the list of documents to provide for file No. 2.

If you ever got before April 15 the agreement of a hospital which will welcome you:

You must send to Strasbourg the copy of Annex 1B appearing in file No. 2.
After validation by Strasbourg, you will only need to create a single file intended for the faculty responsible for this hospital and will therefore benefit from the so-called “cooperation” procedure (see step 3).
At the same time, you must send a simplified file containing pages 1 and 2 of file No. 2 and proof of level B2 of the French language by email to the address: med-dossier2-2023-2024@unistra.fr before on April 5, 2023.
By clicking here you will find the list of documents to send.

Complete file No. 2 must reach the recipient faculty by April 15 of each year, whether by post or by online entry depending on the method chosen by the faculties concerned. The same applies to the so-called “cooperation” procedure.

Applications are examined by the university officials responsible for the speciality to which you have applied. Your application will be ranked by the universities to distinguish you from the other applicants. Based on these rankings and your order of preference, you will be assigned to a faculty, subject to availability.

However, the files of candidates who benefit from the so-called “cooperation” procedure will be assigned directly to the hospital which has accepted to receive them.

If your application has been accepted, you will receive by email the decision from Strasbourg for mid-July specifying the faculty of assignment. They will send you the hosting agreement between July and September. This agreement will specify in its Annex the service and the host hospital as well as any possible accommodation options.

Congratulations ! You can now start your training. You will have to register at the host faculty before October 31 and take up your duties by November 1.

You will have the status of student acting as an intern (FFI) allowing you to work full time in a hospital on a paid basis.

What happens next?

To practise your profession in France, you need to begin the process of taking the knowledge check tests (EVC) prior to applying for authorisation to practise.

You will find all the steps to follow in this Refugees.info sheet: "Work as a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or midwife" .

Did you find this sheet useful?

Thank the contributors who wrote and translated it for you!

Training while working for specialist doctors or specialist pharmacists

1Submit application file no. 1

2Submit application file no. 2

3Assignment to a Faculty of Medicine

4Training follow-up while working as an intern (FFI)

Practice in France