Clinical chemist
Clinical chemist
Clinical chemist
High qualification
High qualification
Clinical chemist in the laboratory
In the medical laboratory clinical-chemical parameters are analyzed for the subsequent assessment of possible pathological changes. The resulting findings play an important role in the diagnosis, follow-up, prognosis assessment, treatment and prevention of diseases. Clinical-chemical analysis is essenzical analysis is essential for all clinical areas and enables the determination of basic parameters as well as more complex immunological tests to answer specific questions. The diverse tasks in the medical laboratory are carried out by specially trained specialists. In addition to laboratory physicians Scientists with advanced training in laboratory diagnostics, e.g. clinical chemists, work at management level.
Complex range of tasks
Thanks to modern laboratory automation and IT technology, the work of an academic laboratory specialist today is highly technological. Specialist knowledge of the processes from pre-analysis to post-analysis included Modern quality management knowledge – in accordance with the RiliBÄK – is mandatory. In addition to the various possibilities , In order to be able to carry out examinations for the early detection, diagnosis and treatment monitoring of diseases, findings must be interpreted and differential diagnostic references established.
Career opportunities
Management of a laboratory
Entrepreneurial management tasks
Research and teaching
Professional examination
The DGKL training committee has defined examination material requirements and summarized them in a catalog for clinical chemists. This subject catalog is based on the European EFLM syllabus, the latest version of which was published in 2018. Recognition as a clinical chemist takes place through an oral examination before the DGKL examination board. Details are described in the guidelines and rules of procedure of the Commission for Further Training for Clinical Chemists.
To support exam preparation, the DGKL offers a one-week revision course in Hanover every year.
Academic foundations
The five-year further training course to become a clinical chemist requires a university degree either in medicine (license to practice medicine) or in a natural science course (diploma or degree). M.Sc. in chemistry, biochemistry, biology or a comparable subject). If possible, the comparability of a degree should have been confirmed by the continuing education committee at the beginning of the continuing education period with completed registration. At least four years must must be completed in a clinical chemistry laboratory recognized as a training facility under the supervision of a laboratory manager authorized to provide further training. A further year of further training can also be completed in another laboratory active in laboratory diagnostics or science and recognized accordingly by the further training committee.
Do you have any further questions? All documents with the relevant regulations for the examination and for further training can be found at the bottom of this page, answers to the most frequently asked questions can be found in our FAQs.
Europe-wide qualified
Under certain conditions, clinical chemists can also apply for the title of European Specialist in Laboratory Medicine and thus underpin their high level of qualification.
Master’s degree program “Medical Laboratory, M.Sc.”
The part-time and postgraduate Master’s degree course “Medical Laboratory, M.Sc.”, which is to be established at the Faculty of Medicine at Leipzig University in the winter semester 2026/2027, will create a uniform level of qualification for scientists in further training to become clinical chemists.
Further information
The aim of the degree program is to provide high-quality and practice-oriented postgraduate training in basic medical principles and laboratory medicine expertise for scientists working in medical laboratories. The combination of the university Master’s degree with practice-oriented further training in the medical laboratory in accordance with the DGKL further training catalog creates the basis for independent work as a clinical chemist and thus increases the attractiveness of the profession. The first matriculation is planned for the winter semester 2026/2027. For more information, please contact the Academy of the Center for Clinical Studies Leipzig, Faculty of Medicine, Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, phone: 0341-97 16283, e-mail: msc@zks.uni-leipzig.de.
Target group:
The postgraduate course is primarily aimed at graduates of natural and life science Master’s degree courses who are already working in the field of laboratory medical diagnostics or research or are aiming for a corresponding position – for example as part of further training to become a clinical chemist.
Overview of the degree program
| Type of study program | Part-time, continuing education, accredited |
| Admission requirements | Completed Master’s degree or comparable degree (e.g. diploma) and at least one year of professional experience in the medical field, English language skills at level B2 |
| Degree | Master of Science (M.Sc.) |
| Standard period of study | 4 semesters (incl. Master’s thesis) |
| Credit points | 90 ECTS |
| Tuition fee | estimated approx. 20,000 EUR |
| Matriculation | Every two years in the winter semester; start of the first matriculation expected. winter semester 2026/27 |
| Number of participants | maximum 20 students |
The introduction of the degree course for the winter semester 2026/27 is subject to approval by the responsible bodies at Leipzig University. The start of applications is planned for May 2026.
Where further training as a clinical chemist is possible
| Dr. med. Michaela Adam | MVZ Labor München GmbH |
| Prof. Dr. med. Parviz Ahmad-Nejad | Helios University Hospital Wuppertal |
| Dr. med. Borros Arneth | Giessen-Marburg University Hospital, Giessen site |
| Dr. rer. nat. Manuela Bastian | Rostock University Hospital |
| Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Bauer | Ludwigshafen Clinic |
| Dipl. Chem. Ekkehart Bauer | Medical laboratory Dresden/ Elsterwerda |
| Prof. Dr. med. Hannsjörg Baum | RHK Regional Clinics Holding Ludwigsburg |
| Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Bertsch | Nuremberg Hospital |
| Dr. med. Katrin Borucki | University Hospital Magdeburg |
| Prof. Dr. med. Korbinian Brand | Hanover Medical School |
| Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Burkhardt Brandt | University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (Kiel) |
| Dr. rer. nat. Jessica Brehm | MVZ Labor Dessau GmbH |
| Prof. Dr. med. Jens Brümmer | Karlsruhe Municipal Hospital |
| Prof. Dr. med. Ralph Burkhardt | University Hospital Regensburg |
| Prof. Dr. med. Triantafyllos Chavakis | University Hospital Dresden |
| Prof. Dr. med. Paul Cullen | MVZ Labor Münster Hafenweg GmbH |
| Dr. med. Rainer Dannenberg | MVZ Labor Dessau GmbH |
| Dr. rer. nat. Gry Helene Dihazi | University Hospital Göttingen |
| Dr. rer. medic. Thomas Eller | Krone laboratory, Bad Salzuflen |
| Dipl. Chem. Uwe Fistler | University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel, Brandenburg Health Center |
| Dr. rer. nat. Manfred Fobker | University Hospital Münster |
| Dr. Dr. med. Ulrich Friess | Synlab MVZ Leinfelden-Echterdingen |
| Dr. rer. nat. Martin Christmann | St. Bernward Hospital, Hildesheim |
| Prof. Dr. med. Jürgen Geisel | University Hospital of the Saarland /Homburg/ Saar |
| Dr. rer. nat. Wolfgang Gerhard | MDI Laboratorien GmbH, Berlin |
| Dr. rer. nat. Heinz-Detlef Gremmels | Niederlausitz Clinic, Senftenberg |
| Prof. Dr. med. Axel Gressner | Wisplinghoff Laboratory, Berlin |
| Dr. med. Olav Gressner | Wisplinghoff Laboratory, Cologne |
| Prof. Dr. med. Sven Danckwardt | Ulm University Hospital |
| Prof. Dr. med. Gerd Hafner | Bethel Protestant Clinic, Bielefeld |
| Dr. rer. nat. Wiebke Hayen | Laboratory Medicine Health North Bremen |
| Dr. rer. nat. Wolfgang Hein | University Hospital Cologne |
| Dr. rer. nat. Torsten Hoff | Laboratory practice Osnabrück |
| Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Imöhl | University Hospital RWTH Aachen |
| Prof. Dr. med. Berend Isermann | Leipzig University Hospital |
| Prof. Dr. med. Ralf Junker | University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel |
| Prof. Dr. med. Thorsten Kaiser | Lippe Hospital, Detmold |
| Prof. Dr. med. Kai Kappert | Charité University Medicine Berlin |
| PD Dr. Dr. med. Michael Kiehntopf | Jena University Hospital |
| Dr. rer. nat. Andreas Klatt | University Hospital Cologne |
| Prof. Dr. med. Cornelius Knabbe | Heart and Diabetes Center NRW, Bad Oeynhausen |
| Dr. rer. nat. Bernhard Kraus | University Hospital Halle/Saale |
| Prof. Dr. med. Karl Lackner | University Medical Center Mainz |
| Dr. rer. nat. Claus Langer | Center for Laboratory Medicine and Microbiology, Essen |
| Dr. med. Irmhild Lehmann | Laboratory Dr. Staber & Colleagues, Klipphausen |
| Prof. Dr. med. Gerhard Liebisch | University Hospital Regensburg |
| Dr. rer. nat. Heike Schneider | Klinikum rechts der Isar of the TU Munich |
| Dr. rer. nat. Sonina Mindt | Central laboratory at Passau Hospital |
| Dr. med. Diethard Müller | MVZ Laboratory Ravensburg Dr. Gärtner |
| Dr. Dr. med. Dieter Münstermann | Krone Laboratory, Bad Salzuflen |
| Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Nauck | University Hospital Greifswald |
| Dr. rer. nat. Stefan Neubeck | Carl-Thiem-Clinic Cottbus |
| Prof. Dr. med. Michael Neumaier | University Hospital Mannheim |
| Dipl.-Chem. Sven Niewiadomski | laborpart – Medical Laboratories Elsterwerda |
| Dr. med. Andreas Nockher | Giessen-Marburg University Hospital, Marburg site |
| Dr. med. Klaus-Martin Otte | Medilys Laborgesellschaft mbH, Hamburg |
| Prof. Dr. med. Dirk Peetz | Helios Clinic Berlin-Buch |
| Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Peter | Central Laboratory of the University Hospital Tübingen |
| Dr. med. Detlev Heinrich Petersen | Deaconess Hospital Flensburg |
| Prof. Dr. med. Astrid Petersmann | Oldenburg University Hospital |
| Dr. rer. nat. Thomas Plecko | Katharinenhospital Stuttgart |
| Dr. med. Andreas Pöge | St. Georg Hospital Leipzig |
| Dipl. Chem. Torsten Prasse | Clinic Oberlausitzer Bergland, Zittau site |
| Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Thomas Renné | University Hospital Hamburg |
| Prof. Dr. med. Harald Renz | University Hospital Marburg |
| Dr. med. Boris Rolinski | Elblab, Elblandklinikum Meißen |
| Prof. Dr. med. Gregor Rothe | MVZ Marienkrankenhaus GmbH, Hamburg |
| Dr. med. Christopher Sachse | KRH Laboratory Nordstadt-Hospital Hanover |
| Dr. rer. nat. Michael Schaab | MVZ Laboratory Dr. Reising-Ackermann, Leipzig |
| Dr. rer. nat. Oliver Schieweck | Central Laboratory University Hospital Erlangen |
| Dipl. Chem. Karin Schöneborn | Carl-Thiem-Clinic Cottbus |
| Prof. Dr. med. Peter Schuff-Werner | Laboratory practice Osnabrück |
| Dr. med. Antje Schwarz | MVZ Westmecklenburg Schwerin |
| Dr. med. Gudrun Stamminger | Center for Diagnostics, Chemnitz |
| Prof. Dr. med. Daniel Teupser | University Hospital Munich |
| Dr. rer. nat. Florian Thieme | University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck Campus |
| Dr. rer. nat. Peter Thorausch | MVZ Cottbus |
| Prof. Dr. med. Michael Torzewski | Robert Bosch Hospital Stuttgart |
| Dr. med. Josef van Helden | MVZ Stein and colleagues, Mönchengladbach |
| Dr. med. Martin Volkmann | MVZ Labor Volkmann / St. Vincentius Clinics, Karlsruhe |
| Prof. Dr. med. Nicolas von Ahsen | Laboratory Medicine Health North Bremen |
| Dr. med. Hans Günther Wahl | Wahl Medical Laboratory, Lüdenscheid |
| Dr. med. Rüdiger Walscheid | MVZ for Laboratory Medicine and Microbiology Koblenz -Mittelrhein |
| Dr. med. Michael Wehmeier | Bielefeld Clinic, Mitte site |
| PD Dr. med. Heike Weißer | Clinic Fulda |
| Prof. Dr. med. Egon Werle | Clinic Neubrandenburg |
| Prof. Dr. med. Karl Winkler | University Medical Center Freiburg |
| Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Reinhard Ziebig | Charite Berlin |
| Dipl. Ing. Markus Zorn | Heidelberg University Hospital |
