Privacy Policy
Last updated: 26 May 2026
1. Who we are
ApprobationPath is operated by Marvin Wasmuth (contact: hello@approbationpath.com). We are not a law firm and not a recruitment agency. The site is an English-language information resource for foreign-trained doctors pursuing German Approbation. We document state-by-state procedures, the FSP and Kenntnisprüfung exams, salary data, and current reform legislation. We also operate an opt-in waitlist that lets readers share their pathway details so we can follow up about their Approbation journey.
2. What data we collect
Analytics (Plausible)
We use Plausible Analytics to understand how visitors use the site. Plausible is privacy-first: it collects no personal data, sets no cookies, and is fully GDPR-compliant without requiring a cookie banner. No IP addresses or device fingerprints are stored. The data we see is aggregate-only (page views, referrers, country).
Lead form (optional)
If you submit the lead capture form, we store the fields you choose to provide: name, email, country of origin, medical specialty, German level (A1–C1 or FSP passed), and your Approbation timeline. The form is entirely optional. You can read every page on the site without submitting it. We use this data to follow up about your Approbation journey by email, and to improve which countries and specialties we prioritise in our research. Email is the only required field; everything else is optional.
Outbound affiliate links
We link to FSP and Kenntnisprüfung preparation providers (currently AMBOSS and Lingoda) using affiliate links. Clicking a link takes you to the provider’s own site, where their privacy policy applies. We do not see what you do on their site; we may receive a commission if you later sign up with them, but no personal data flows from our site to theirs beyond the normal HTTP referrer.
3. Cookies
ApprobationPath does not set any cookies. We use no tracking, advertising, or analytics cookies. Plausible Analytics operates cookie-free. No cookie consent banner is required.
4. Sharing your data
We do not sell your data. We do not share lead-form data with third parties at this time. If we ever introduce a recruiter or employer introduction service, it will require a separate, explicit consent checkbox at the point of introduction. Your existing lead-form data is not auto-shared retroactively.
Operationally, your data is processed by the infrastructure providers listed in section 8 (Neon for database storage, Vercel for hosting). These are sub-processors only; they do not access your data for their own purposes.
5. Service emails vs marketing emails
Service emails are tied to your lead form submission: a reply to your enquiry, an answer to a question you asked, or a follow-up about a step in your Approbation pathway that you flagged. We send these on the basis of legitimate interest in following up on your enquiry (Art 6(1)(f) GDPR).
Marketing emails (occasional pathway tips, state-specific updates, the 1 Nov 2026 reform timeline) will only be sent if a marketing-consent checkbox is added to the lead form and you tick it. As of the date of this policy, no such checkbox exists and no marketing emails are sent. If we add it, you will be able to unsubscribe via a link in any such email, or by emailing hello@approbationpath.com. Unsubscribing from marketing would not affect service replies.
6. Legal basis for processing (GDPR)
- Consent (Art 6(1)(a)): any future marketing emails (not currently sent).
- Legitimate interest (Art 6(1)(f)): storing your lead-form submission so we can reply, aggregate analytics via Plausible, fraud and abuse prevention.
Where the legal basis is consent, you may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal. Where the legal basis is legitimate interest, you have the right to object. See section 9.
7. Data retention
- Lead-form submissions: retained for up to 24 months from your last interaction with us, then deleted. Sooner if you request deletion.
- Plausible Analytics: aggregate and non-personal; no individual records are stored.
- Server access logs (Vercel platform-level): retained per Vercel’s standard retention. We do not query or process these unless investigating an abuse incident.
8. Third-party services we use
| Service | Purpose | Privacy policy |
|---|---|---|
| Plausible Analytics | Page-view analytics (cookie-free) | plausible.io/privacy |
| Neon | Database storage for lead-form data (EU Central region, Frankfurt) | neon.tech/privacy-policy |
| Vercel | Website hosting and edge delivery | vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy |
9. Your rights
Under GDPR you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”)
- Withdraw consent at any time (consent-based processing only)
- Export your data in a portable format
- Object to processing based on legitimate interest
- Lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority
To exercise any of these rights, email hello@approbationpath.com. We will respond within 30 days.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when our data practices change. The date at the top of the page reflects the most recent revision. If a change materially affects how we process your data (for example, a new category of data, a new processor in a non-EU country, or a new purpose), we will note it inline on the lead form before you submit.