The Marburger Bund is the professional association and trade union of physicians with salaried and civil servant functions. Hospital doctors are the largest group among its members followed by doctors in Public Health, in occupational medicine and in pharmaceutical industry.  Another important group are medical students. The Marburger Bund has a federal structure. 14 independently working regional associations are linked together in the central association. The main aims are: to improve the working conditions of its members via collective agreements, to defend the professional interests of its members, to promote, maintain and defend the professional independence of doctors and their unrestricted access to private practice, to keep and improve a high standard of basic medical education, specialist training, continuing medical education and medical care, to further the reconciliation of work and family life for its members.