Occupational Medicine for Student Interns in Warsaw (26/27)

Procedure for obtaining a decision: Referral is the basis

The most important document, without which an occupational medicine doctor in Warsaw will not admit you, is a referral issued by your university. This document must precisely specify the harmful, burdensome, or dangerous factors you will be exposed to during the internship.

Where to pick up a referral in Warsaw?

• Dean’s offices or career offices: At most Warsaw universities (e.g. at the Faculty of Management of the University of Warsaw or the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Warsaw University of Technology), referrals are issued in the dean’s offices appropriate for a given field of study.
• Electronic Systems: In 2026, more and more institutions, such as SGH or Lazarski University, generate referrals in systems such as USOS or dedicated student portals, which you then have to print and stamp.
• Data verification: Check carefully whether the referral contains the correct data of the Warsaw company or institution where you are doing the internship. An incorrect employer’s address may cause the certificate to be rejected by the HR department.

Scope of Research: What Do You Need to Do Before Internship?

The scope of occupational medicine research is closely related to the nature of your practice. The medical examiner in Warsaw makes a decision on admission based on the results of auxiliary tests and specialist consultations.

Basic package for humanities and economics

If your internship takes place in office buildings in Wola (near Rondo Daszyńskiego) or Mokotów (the so-called Mordor), the main risk factor is working at a screen monitor for more than 4 hours a day.

• General medical examination: Interview and basic assessment of health.
• Ophthalmological consultation: Mandatory if the referral contains a record of work at the computer. The doctor checks the visual acuity and fundus of the eye.

Research for technical and engineering faculties (WUT, WAT)

Technical students, who carry out internships in production halls or on construction sites in the vicinity of Warsaw, must undergo a broader diagnostics.

• Hearing tests (audiometry): Required when exposed to noise.
• Nervous System Fitness Tests: If the internship involves working at a height (over 3 meters).
• Spirometry: In case of contact with dust or respiratory irritants.

Medical and gastronomic faculties (MUW, SGGW)

If your practices involve contact with patients or food, the procedure is the most restrictive.

• Sanitary and epidemiological tests: Necessary to obtain an entry in the documentation for sanitary and epidemiological purposes (former Sanepid booklet).
• Laboratory tests: Morphology, glucose levels, and sometimes tests for infectious disease carriers.
• Vaccinations: Confirmation of vaccination against hepatitis B required (especially at MUUM).

Where to quickly perform occupational medicine examinations in Warsaw?

In Warsaw, there is a division into public institutions, which carry out research free of charge on the basis of agreements with universities, and private centres. The key to speed is choosing a place that has a signed contract with your university.

Mazovian Voivodeship Centre for Occupational Medicine (MWOMP)

This is the main institution where students of Warsaw’s public universities perform tests free of charge. MWOMP has two key locations:

1. 12 Skaryszewska Street (Praga-Południe): Located close to the Eastern Railway Station and the National Stadium Metro station. It is the largest center, serving the most students.
2. 15 Nowogrodzka Street (Śródmieście): A smaller facility in the very center, which is easily accessible by any tram line crossing Jerozolimskie Avenue.

Private medical centers (Lux Med, Medicover, Enel-Med)

Many non-public universities in Warsaw and some faculties of the University of Warsaw have signed agreements with network medical centers.

• Advantage: Registration via a mobile application and the ability to perform all tests (ophthalmologist, blood, ECG) in one location, e.g. in office buildings at Chmielna Street or Postępu Street.
• Important: Make sure your university covers the cost of the study. If you go to a private clinic without a contract, the cost of the certificate can range from PLN 250 to even PLN 600.

Logistics and deadlines: How to avoid queues?

The season for student internships in Warsaw falls on May, June and September. In these months, the waiting time for an appointment at the MWOMP may extend to several days.

• Telephone and online registration: Do not go to the facility “from the street”. In Warsaw, most occupational medicine centers require prior reservation of an appointment.
• Morning hours: Blood and urine tests in Warsaw laboratories are usually performed by 10:00 a.m. Plan your appointment so that you are on an empty stomach.
• A visit to an ophthalmologist: If you wear glasses or lenses, you must have them with you. A doctor at an occupational medicine facility in Warsaw must check the vision correction for an entry in the certificate.

Specific tips: How to pass the tests efficiently?

By following these steps, you will reduce the time spent in Warsaw clinics to a minimum:

• Check the validity of the ruling: If you did research a year ago for other practices, check if the harmful factors are identical. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe a certificate without a full diagnosis, as long as laboratory tests are still valid.
• Prepare medical records: If you have a chronic illness (e.g. diabetes or epilepsy), take a certificate from your attending physician that there are no contraindications to work. This will save you an additional visit to an occupational medicine specialist.
• Take care of the results of fecal tests (Sanepid): If your practices require sanitary and epidemiological tests, stool tests for carriers are performed at the Voivodeship Sanitary and Epidemiological Station in Warsaw (79 Żelazna Street). The results are expected to take about 3-5 working days – do this before visiting an occupational medicine doctor.
• Choose an outlet close to the metro: To save time, choose resorts on the M1 or M2 route. For example, it takes only 10 minutes by tram to get from the WUT campus to the facility on Nowogrodzka Street.
• Download the IKP (Online Patient Account): In 2026, e-rulings are becoming the standard. Thanks to the mObywatel application, you will have access to your certificate at any time, which will facilitate the formalities in the HR department of the Warsaw employer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay for occupational medicine examinations for internships?

If you have a referral from a public university in Warsaw and go to an institution with which the university has an agreement (usually MWOMP), the tests are completely free. If you choose a commercial facility without a referral, you will bear the full cost of the visit.

How long does it take to get test results in Warsaw?

Most certificates are issued on the day of the visit to the medical examiner, provided that they have the results of laboratory tests. If you have your blood tests done in the morning at the same centre, you will usually receive a certificate in the afternoon or the next day.

Is an occupational medicine certificate issued for an internship valid in another job?

Only if the factors harmful to the new position are identical or smaller than those contained in the practice judgment. The decision to recognize the document is always made by the employer in Warsaw.

What if the doctor does not issue a certificate of fitness to practice?

You can appeal the ruling within 7 days. The appeal is submitted through the doctor who issued the decision to the MWOMP.

Do I have to be on an empty stomach for occupational medicine examinations?

Yes, if the referral includes laboratory blood tests (e.g. glucose level or morphology). In Warsaw, most collection points require you to be fasted for at least 8 hours before the test.

Does a foreign student studying in Warsaw need to do research?

Yes, health and safety rules apply to all students doing internships in Polish, regardless of citizenship. The referral is issued by the Warsaw university on the same terms.

Where in Warsaw to pick up the Sanepid booklet for internships?

The instep (entry in the documentation) is made by an occupational medicine doctor. The laboratory tests themselves are performed by the Sanepid at Żelazna Street, but the final certificate of fitness to work with food is issued by an authorized doctor.

Summary and action plan

Obtaining an occupational medicine certificate for student internships in Warsaw in 2026–2027 requires efficient logistics. The biggest challenge is to coordinate the dates in the dean’s office and in the medical facility. Remember to start the process at least 3 weeks before the planned start date of the internship.

Your steps to follow

1. Receive a referral from the Dean’s Office of your university (UW, WUT, SGH, etc.).
2. Call MWOMP (Skaryszewska or Nowogrodzka Street) and make an appointment.
3. Perform laboratory tests (if required) on an empty stomach.
4. Come to the appointment with a medical examiner with a complete set of results and an identity card.
5. Deliver the original certificate to the apprenticeship or HR office of the Warsaw employer.

Do not delay with registration – Warsaw medical facilities are under siege in June, and having a complete set of tests is the only guarantee of a peaceful start to your professional career.