Study Medicine in Belgium: 8 Things You Should Know

Starting from when we were young, we each already have dreams of becoming our role models. They may be teachers, dentists, lawyers, policemen, and the most popular profession for kids—the doctors. Because of their job description and profession, for other people, doctors are heroes and saviors of the weak and the healers of the sick. Sometimes, by idolizing these role models, people tend to follow their career paths and try to become a member of their community.

However, becoming a doctor or a professional is a difficult and complex process. If they are already determined to be a doctor at an early age, they should already prepare themselves by obtaining good grades and good academic records. This will help them ease their admission process when they will be applying for medical schools.

The question now is, after your long preparation in your earlier years, how do you choose the best medical school to apply in? There are several factors that you must consider in picking a good medical school in which you will spend at least 6 years of your life just studying and absorbing the knowledge and skills of a professional doctor.

First, you must make sure that the country you would apply for has rich resources and an economy to assure the advanced technology and modern facilities of universities. Next, make sure that it accepts foreign people as international students without discrimination. And lastly, make sure that once you pursue your education in that country, you can finish the whole curriculum. In this article, we will be looking at studying medicine in Belgium.

1. Is Belgium a good country to study medicine?

Among those countries who have these qualifications or factors, Belgium is one of the best choices. It has been progressive in terms of its economy, trade and industry, and technology, particularly in the field of medicine. The quality of education, high-class facilities, and modern equipment are what make Belgium a good country to study medicine. So, if you already have plans on studying medicine in Belgium, you can be assured that you’ll receive a great education.

2. In what language do you study medicine in Belgium?

For all levels of higher education in any degree program that you are into, the language of instruction in Belgium is either Dutch, French, or German depending on the university you will be attending. However, most of the medical schools in Belgium have either French or German in their courses. If you are not yet proficient or even familiar with these languages, you do not have to worry because there are supplementary language courses available in most universities.

However, some universities, for example, have medical degrees taught in Dutch or English like Ghent University Medicine School. The students, local or international, are required to be proficient in Dutch or English before being admitted to the university.

3. How many medical schools are in Belgium?

Actually, up to date, there are no medical schools in Europe that are solely to study medicine. However, some universities are offering medicine as one of their programs on their list of courses. In total, the number of universities offering medical programs in Belgium is 8.

4. How difficult is the medical curriculum in Belgium?

At 8.9% dropout rate, it is already shown how difficult it is to study medicine in Belgium because of this statistic. In exchange for this, it is assured that once you finished your medical degree in the country, huge opportunities will come for you.

5. What are the requirements to be accepted to medical schools in Belgium?

As usual, like the requirements from other education programs not only in Belgium but also in other countries, the documents needed for application to study medicine in Belgium are almost the same. First, as an international student, you are required to present a document of your identity and nationality such as a birth certificate and a passport. Moreover, if you are going to stay or study in Belgium for a long period, you will be required to request a student visa at your embassy in Belgium.

Next, you will need all your records and report cards from your previous institution to check if the medical school will do well for you. This is where all your preparations from early educational years will bear fruit because a good academic standing will guarantee you entry to medical school.

Lastly, you will need your application requirements such as forms and fees, specifically mentioned by the university you will be attending. Also, non-Belgian students will be required to take a proficiency language exam on either Dutch, French, and German depending on the university to know if you are proficient enough in those languages to study in Belgium.

6. What are the components of the medical curriculum in Belgium?

The medical curricula in Belgium have almost no differences in other curricula around the world. They have the same period of timeframe for the whole degree program which is still 6 years long. However, the arrangement or the order of the topics that will be taught and discussed is different for every university.

Nonetheless, the curriculum of medicine in Belgium still includes the basic and introduction in Medical Science, Health Statistics, and other Intermediate studies for Medicine. This period will take at most 4 years of the curriculum. The last 2 years, on the other hand, will be for clinical studies and practices for sharpening the students’ skills.

7. Can you study medicine in Belgium as an international student?

Of course! Belgium is one of the countries in Europe which are part of the Erasmus+ program in which Europe helps students from around the globe to study in several countries on their continent through scholarships. This is the reason why Europe, or Belgium in particular, is the center of student exchange and international student programs.

So, if you are worried about your financial capacity and feel like your allowance would not be enough while studying medicine in Belgium, apply for scholarships that are especially for international students. Some universities in Belgium that are part of this program are Ghent University Medicine School and the University of Antwerp Medicine.

8. What do you need to become a doctor in Belgium?

Your journey of becoming a doctor will not end on your 6-year degree curriculum. Once you finish your studies, you will need to pass the last exam to be a doctor in Belgium. The last exam is called the selection test in which only those who pass the test shall be licensed to practice medicine in Belgium and become a doctor.

 

I hope that this article was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Europe Scholarships Page.