VFN Prague Careers, Salaries & Jobs

The General University Hospital in Prague (Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze, VFN) describes itself as one of the largest hospitals in the Czech Republic and as the main partner of the First Faculty of Medicine of Charles University.

It was founded in 1790 and says it has the longest tradition of academic medicine in the country. Its main campus is at U Nemocnice in Prague 2, near Charles Square.

VFN is an independent state contributory organisation (příspěvková organizace) directly managed by the Ministry of Health. Its 2025 annual report lists 43 clinical workplaces (clinics, institutes and separate departments) across surgical and non-surgical fields, laboratories and imaging, caring for adults and children. It reported an average of 6,080 employees in 2025, or 5,009 full-time equivalents, including about 898 FTE doctors and 1,798 FTE nurses and midwives.

For an internationally trained applicant, VFN matters for one specific reason: it is accredited by the Ministry of Health for the practical part of the approbation examination (aprobační zkouška) for doctors and pharmacists, and its careers site has a page for foreigners. It also holds Ministry accreditation for a wide range of basic trunks and specialist training programmes for doctors, dentists and pharmacists.

The hospital is clear that Czech comes first. Its information for foreigners says the basic condition for every applicant is a command of Czech, checked at a personal interview. Non-EU doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other health professionals therefore reach VFN through the national recognition route run by the Ministry of Health, not through a separate overseas recruitment programme.

Founded

1790

Run by

Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic (state contributory organisation)

Leadership

• Ján Dudra, Director (Ředitel)
• Tomáš Grus, Deputy Director for Medical Care, Surgical and Multidisciplinary Fields and Intensive Care (Náměstek pro léčebnou péči pro chirurgické a multidisciplinární obory a intenzivní lůžka)
• Jiří Votruba, Deputy Director for Medical Care, Internal Medicine Fields (Náměstek pro léčebnou péči pro interní obory a koordinátor strategických projektů)
• Petra Camprová, Deputy Director for Non-Medical Health Professions (Náměstkyně, Úsek pro nelékařská zdravotnická povolání)

Accreditations

• Accreditation by the Spojená akreditační komise (SAK), renewed in February 2024 under SAK's new standards and valid until 14 February 2027 (published on the hospital's site)

Switchboard

+420 224 961 111

• Comprehensive cardiovascular centre

  A Ministry of Health specialised centre providing diagnosis and treatment of serious heart and vascular disease.

• Comprehensive oncology centre

  Multidisciplinary cancer care, run in cooperation with Thomayer University Hospital (FTN) and the Military University Hospital (ÚVN).

• Haemato-oncology for adults

  A centre of highly specialised care for adults with malignant and non-malignant blood disorders, including CAR-T cell therapy prepared by the hospital pharmacy.

• Stroke care

  A centre of highly specialised stroke care providing round-the-clock treatment of patients with cerebrovascular events.

• Perinatology and assisted reproduction

  A centre of highly specialised perinatology care and an assisted reproduction centre, alongside the Clinic of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology.

• Multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology

  A centre of highly specialised care for multiple sclerosis and related disorders of the central nervous system.

• Inherited metabolic disorders

  A centre of highly specialised care for patients with inherited metabolic disorders, linked to the Clinic of Paediatrics and Inherited Metabolic Disorders and the European reference network MetabERN.

• VFN has a dedicated careers page, Informace pro cizince (information for foreigners). It says the hospital welcomes foreign health professionals, but that the basic requirement for all applicants is a good command of Czech, which is assessed at a personal interview.
• Nurses and other non-medical health workers (for example general nurses, practical nurses and laboratory staff): VFN says it accepts applicants who have passed the approbation examination, who are part-way through it, or who are preparing for it. You arrange a meeting with the hospital's coordinator for foreign professionals and bring proof of your education and your Czech residence permit.
• Doctors, dentists and pharmacists: VFN is an accredited workplace for the practical part of the approbation examination. Its 2025 annual report lists 6-month practice for doctors and for pharmacists. To be taken on you need proof that you passed the first (written) part, good spoken Czech and the Ministry of Health decision that allows you to complete the practical part. VFN warns that places are limited and asks you to check availability before you apply.
• VFN does not describe an overseas recruitment campaign, agency partners or relocation packages for international staff. Its general benefits page lists accommodation for employees from outside Prague, an on-site kindergarten, language courses and 5 weeks of leave, which apply to all staff.
• The hospital also runs separate placements for foreign medical students (Foreign Students Internship), which are aimed at students rather than at qualified staff.

• Recognition by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic. With a non-EU diploma you need nostrification at a Czech university and then the aprobační zkouška: written tests, a supervised practical part (6 months full time for doctors, 40 days for general nurses and midwives) and an oral examination before the Ministry issues a recognition decision.

• Czech. The doctors' approbation examination is held entirely in Czech and the nurses' oral examination is in Czech only. VFN itself makes Czech the basic condition for every foreign applicant and checks it at interview. The Ministry does not set a CEFR certificate level.

• Doctors must join the Czech Medical Chamber (ČLK) through their district association before practising independently. The practical part of the approbation examination does not count towards Czech specialist training.

• A residence and work permit. The Ministry of Health's order is: find a job, get nostrification, get the Ministry's decision allowing you to work, then apply for an employee card or EU Blue Card. You need one of these permits to start the practical part.

• EU, EEA and Swiss citizens with EU-listed diplomas are recognised under Act No. 18/2004 Coll. without the approbation examination, but still need Czech for patient contact.

1. 1

   Check the Ministry of Health route for your profession

   Read the Ministry's pages for doctors, dentists and pharmacists or for non-medical professions trained outside the EU. Start nostrification at a Czech university with a comparable programme, and learn Czech from day one.
2. 2

   Pass the written part of the approbation examination

   Doctors, dentists and pharmacists apply to the Ministry by 1 February or 1 August and sit the two written tests at IPVZ. Nurses apply through the Ministry's EZP system and sit the tests organised by NCO NZO.
3. 3

   Contact VFN's coordinator for foreign professionals

   Use the contact on the Informace pro cizince page at vfn.cz/kariera/informace-pro-cizince to ask whether a practical-part place is free (doctors and pharmacists) or to arrange a meeting (nurses and other non-medical staff). Bring proof of education, your exam results and your residence permit.
4. 4

   Pass the Czech interview

   VFN assesses your Czech at a personal interview. Expect to discuss clinical work in Czech, because you will treat Czech-speaking patients under supervision.
5. 5

   Apply for advertised posts

   Once recognised, apply to vacancies listed by category (doctor, non-medical health worker, administration, other) at vfn.cz/kariera/volna-mista, or write to [email protected] if you do not see a suitable post.
6. 6

   Arrange your permit and start

   With the Ministry decision and a job offer, apply for an employee card or EU Blue Card. Doctors join the Czech Medical Chamber once recognised.

Monthly amounts

• Doctor, class 12 (working under supervision)

  CZK 43,640 to 59,710

  Annex 3, steps 1 to 12.

• Doctor, class 13 (after the basic trunk)

  CZK 48,890 to 66,280

  Annex 3.

• Doctor, class 14 (specialist)

  CZK 52,000 to 70,010

  Annex 3.

• General nurse, class 10

  CZK 31,230 to 45,340

  Annex 2, steps 1 to 12.

• General nurse, class 11

  CZK 33,670 to 48,920

  Annex 2.

• Practical nurse, class 9

  CZK 29,080 to 42,050

  Annex 2.