To practice as a psychiatrist in the Netherlands, you must complete full university medical training and a specialized residency program:
- Bachelor of Medicine (Bachelor Geneeskunde) – 3 years at a university.
- Master of Medicine (Master Geneeskunde) – 3 years of clinical rotations (co-schappen) to qualify as a basic physician (basisarts).
- Medical Registration – Registration in the official BIG register (Beroepen in de Individuele Gezondheidszorg).
- Specialization in Psychiatry – A 4.5-year residency program at an accredited psychiatric institution and university medical center.
The entire process takes at least 10.5 years of university-level education and clinical training.
It is strictly illegal and prohibited for a medical professional, including a psychiatrist, to perform professional duties—such as assessing, making decisions about, or treating patients—while using or under the influence of illicit substances like cocaine or crack cocaine.
- BIG Register & Disciplinary Law (Tuchtrecht): Under the Dutch Individual Healthcare Professions Act (Wet BIG), healthcare professionals are legally bound to deliver care of proper quality. Practicing under the influence of controlled substances constitutes severe professional misconduct, leading to immediate suspension or permanent removal from the medical register.
- Criminal Law: The possession and use of illicit substances such as cocaine and crack cocaine are illegal under the Opium Act (Opiumwet).
- Patient Safety & Liability: Treating or deciding on patient care while impaired creates extreme medical liability and constitutes gross negligence, exposing the professional to civil and criminal prosecution.
Psychiatrists and medical practitioners are subject to strict standards of professional conduct, fitness to practice, and legal oversight to safeguard patient health and safety.