Netherlands and Belgium grapple with healthcare training placement shortages

In the Netherlands, a severe shortage of vocational (mbo) internship placements for medical assistants is forcing schools to curb admissions and leaving many students without practical training. General practitioners report insufficient time and space to supervise trainees, and more than a third of a cohort lacked placements last year. The Ministry of Education, led by Rianne Letschert, is seeking measures to increase opportunities for mbo health‑care students.

In Belgium, Flemish health minister Zuhal Demir recently raised the start quota for medical students, but the move has created a bottleneck for post‑graduation training. According to the Flemish Medical Students’ Council (VGSO), about 300 newly qualified doctors may be unable to commence a specialization year because of insufficient slots, prompting concerns about future specialist shortages.