Basic training in war medicine will soon become a mandatory course for medical students across Belgium, reported Het Nieuwsblad, Gazet van Antwerpen, and Het Belang van Limburg.
Last year, Belgian universities announced their intention to adapt medical curricula to better prepare students for large-scale crises, including conflicts. The decision has followed consultations with the Belgian Ministry of Health.
"After consultation with the Ministry of Public Health, lessons in crisis pathology will become a mandatory part of the medical training," wrote Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA). The aim is to enhance collaboration between the Defence Ministry and the civilian medical sector.
"There are not enough doctors and nurses in our country who have experience with serious war injuries," medical doctor and professor at the University of Antwerp (UA), Werner Jacobs, told Het Nieuwsblad.
"The intention is not that every doctor will soon be able to operate on a battlefield. But doctors know what to expect and what to do with war victims who, after they have been stabilised by military doctors, are transferred to Belgian hospitals," Jacobs said.
Professor Filip Lardon, dean of the Faculty of Medicine (UA), also added Belgium's medical professionals knowledgeable on dealing with severe wounds, such as from the explosions. "Knowledge and experience that are indeed insufficient today," he said.
Lardon expects the program to launch in the academic year 2027-2028.
