The Belgian government proposes that medical students undergo mandatory training in military medicine starting with the 2026-2027 academic year.

The Belgian government intends to implement mandatory training in military medicine for all medical students, starting with the academic year 2026-2027. This initiative, reported by the newspapers Het Nieuwsblad and Gazet van Antwerpen, aims to integrate crisis situation pathology courses into the study curriculum.

The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Antwerp, Filip Lardon, emphasized that the goal is for students to be prepared to deal with severe war injuries, such as amputations. Professor Werner Jacobs explained that not all doctors will be trained to operate on the battlefield, but they will know how to treat war victims who are transferred to Belgian hospitals after stabilization. Additionally, the government has sent a letter to 17-year-olds, encouraging them to enlist in voluntary military service.