Belgium experiences family doctor shortage and excess of specialists

Maciamo

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Expactica : Belgium faces shortage of family doctors

Expatica said:
There is a shortage of medicine graduates opting to become family doctors in Belgium.

Last year, just 94 of Flanders' 373 medicine graduates decided to become a GP, opting instead to train to become higher-paid specialists.

The trend is raising concerns, given the fact 180 new GPs are needed according to agreed guidelines entered into in the 1990s.

Those guidelines also stated that 240 specialists were needed, giving an intended total of 420 graduating medicine students each year.
...

In brief, 94 GP graduate against 180 needed; and 279 specialists graduate agaisnt 240 needed. Too many students choose to specialise rather than becoming general practictioners.

This is ironic as Medicine is the only academic subject in Belgium for which there are restrictions in the number of student admissions. In other words, this is a serious mismanagement of the boards of education (of which there are two, one for the French-speaking universities and one for the Dutch-speaking universities).
 
Maciamo said:
Expactica : Belgium faces shortage of family doctors
In brief, 94 GP graduate against 180 needed; and 279 specialists graduate agaisnt 240 needed. Too many students choose to specialise rather than becoming general practictioners.
This is ironic as Medicine is the only academic subject in Belgium for which there are restrictions in the number of student admissions. In other words, this is a serious mismanagement of the boards of education (of which there are two, one for the French-speaking universities and one for the Dutch-speaking universities).

In Australia we also have shortages of medical professionals, but I don't think there is any serious mismanagement of the boards of education.

My father's group of obsessed friends who wish their sons or daughters to be doctors are taking this opportunity seriously...
 

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