I would definitely have missed an opportunity if I had not come to the region.

Dr. Markus Schmola works in the district clinic at Wörth a.d. Donau and in Regensburg University Clinic. He is now a specialist physician for anaesthesiology and head physician of the Department for Anaesthesiology and Operative Intensive Medicine at the district hospital. As a native of the Upper Palatinate, making himself understood is naturally not a problem. Nevertheless any move is also associated with certain risks and difficulties.  

Dr. Schmola: Who or what helped you find your feet at the start?

When I started many committed staff in every department of the hospital helped me to familiarise myself.

Did you feel welcomed from the outset?

Already from the first day I felt welcomed in my new job and noticed a great feeling of appreciation and motivation for collaboration.

How was your familiarisation in the workplace?
Unfortunately I did not have a direct predecessor, who could hand over the head physician position directly to me. However, the existing team and in particular my line manager, the head physician, helped me through their full support, enabling me to make a fast and relatively smooth start.

Did your family move with you or is your family with you now?

We currently still have a weekend relationship as unfortunately we have not yet been able to find a suitable house or a suitable plot of land to build on. My wife moved her job in Regensburg so that the commuting is easier. Our aim would be to move to Schrobenhausen, if we are able to find a suitable option (Another detached house with a large garden on the edge of the town).

Is it easy to find an apartment or a house?

No, I’m still looking. At present I am in a rented one-bedroom apartment.

How and where did you make some contacts?

Through work (hospital and BRK emergency service) and the landlord of my apartment.

Do you enjoy living in the region?

Yes. A major factor is the proximity to Munich, Ingolstadt and Augsburg and to Regensburg - the travel time home is only about an hour.

Do you have a favourite place?

No, I haven’t really found one yet. But that will probably happen in the summer when the weather is better.

Do you have any tips and encouragement for people, who would like to come to our region?

Anyone who is open to their surroundings, will find connections everywhere. Although moving job to a different region is always associated with a certain amount of risk. But anyone who doesn’t have the courage to do that, will never find out whether an opportunity has been missed. For me it would definitely have been a missed opportunity.