Objective: To determine the result of the assessment procedure, initiated on 1 December 2005, for physicians with a foreign diploma who wish to practice in the Netherlands.
Design: Retrospective, descriptive study.
Method: The Commission for Foreign Healthcare Graduates (CBGV) collected data on physicians with a foreign diploma who followed the procedure for requesting a declaration of professional competence and admission to the Dutch Individual Healthcare Professions (BIG) register between December 2005 - December 2015. The procedure comprises a language and communication test, followed by tests of professional competence. On the grounds of the test results, the CBGV can decide if a physician should follow a specific training course. The number of physicians who ultimately obtained BIG registration was determined.
Results: During the study period, 183 of the 206 physicians with a foreign diploma passed the general knowledge and skills tests. A total of 176 of the 183 physicians took the professional competence tests. In 43 (25%) of them no shortcomings in knowledge and skills were seen. They were registered in the BIG register for a period of supervision. In 129 (73%), shortfalls were made up by means of focused training programme. In 4 (2%) of them no training was possible. On the date of assessment, 137 (78%) physicians were registered. This number is expected to rise to 151 (86%).
Conclusion: The provision of a further course of training that is focused on the elimination of identified shortcomings in physicians with a foreign diploma, increases the percentage of foreign physicians that are successfully admitted to the BIG register.