Medical students to receive compulsory training in military medicine
Medical students in Belgium will soon be required to complete basic training in military medicine. The measure was reported on Monday by Het Nieuwsblad, Gazet van Antwerpen and Het Belang van Limburg.
"Following consultations with the Federal Public Service (FPS) for Health, courses in crisis pathology will become a compulsory part of medical training," a recently published update of Defence minister Theo Francken's policy note states. "This should promote cooperation between Defence and the civilian medical sector."
According to professor Filip Lardon, dean of the faculty of medicine at the University of Antwerp, the aim is to give medical students a basic grounding in military medicine. It should give them sufficient knowledge to deal with severe war trauma, such as amputated limbs, he told Het Nieuwsblad. Lardon expects the training to be introduced in the 2027-2028 academic year.
Lack of experience
The preparations involve several experts, including professor and forensic physician Werner Jacobs of the University of Antwerp, who is also a colonel in the medical component of the Belgian armed forces. According to Jacobs, Belgium has very few doctors and nurses with experience of severe war-related pathologies.
"The intention is not for every doctor to be able to operate on a battlefield. Rather, it is about ensuring that physicians know what to expect and how to deal with war victims who, after being stabilised by military doctors, are transferred to Belgian hospitals," Jacobs said.
"The intention is not for every doctor to be able to operate on a battlefield"
The need for more specialised medical staff in Belgian hospitals was also highlighted after the March 2016 terrorist attacks in Brussels. Many victims suffered injuries typically seen only in war zones, requiring medical techniques, including at the level of first responders, that are usually applied in conflict settings.
Belgian soldiers practising a medical intervention © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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