Ten years ago some 20 doctors a year started specialist training as an occupational physician. By 2024 that was around 140, and even that is nowhere near enough: according to the Dutch capacity body, unmet demand for occupational physicians currently stands at around 13 per cent (in Dutch), while a large part of the current generation will retire over the coming years. So the specialism attracts more and more doctors, but demand remains structurally greater than supply.
Are you a doctor considering specialising in work and health? Then the question that comes up most is usually a practical one: how exactly is the training put together, how long does it take, and what does it involve? In this article we set it all out clearly, so that you can make a well-considered choice for your career.
A recognised medical specialist
Many doctors do not know exactly what an occupational physician does, or confuse the title with that of an occupational health doctor. The difference is fundamental: the title of occupational physician is protected by law (in Dutch) and stands for a recognised medical specialism. Occupational health doctors have not completed this specialisation and are therefore not authorised to act independently as an occupational physician. Once you have completed the full training, you are a fully qualified medical specialist in the field of work and health, on a par with other recognised specialisms.
As an occupational physician you combine preventive tasks with individual guidance. You advise employers on healthy working conditions, guide employees through absence or the threat of it, and advise on reintegration. You also carry out health examinations and pre-employment medical assessments. That makes you an independent counterpart for both employee and employer, which sometimes creates tension but also makes the work rich in substance.
How long does the training take?
Specialist training as an occupational physician takes four years full-time. It combines practical training with a taught component. Four years sounds long, but in practice, as a doctor in specialist training you work in a recognised occupational health service from day one, guided by an experienced colleague. So you earn a salary while you train.
A common misconception is that the training period starts as soon as you enrol at a training institute. That is not the case. The four years only start counting from the moment you are working at a recognised training organisation. (in Dutch) Enrolling at the institute alone is not enough. So always check with the Dutch registration committee for medical specialists, the RGS, whether your employer holds that recognition.
Doctors who have already completed another medical specialist training may qualify for a shortened programme. There are also two-year routes for lateral entrants. Depending on the number of applications, the training starts twice a year, in spring and in autumn.
How the training is built up: practice and theory together
The training consists of two parallel tracks that constantly reinforce each other. On the practical track you work on real cases under the guidance of a recognised practice trainer. Your remit widens step by step during the training, from simpler tasks to increasingly complex situations. That way you master all the critical professional activities at a pace that suits your own development.
You follow the taught component one day a week at one of the two recognised training institutes in the Netherlands: the NSPOH in Utrecht (in Dutch) or SGBO Radboudumc in Nijmegen. Here you learn the theory, the knowledge and the skills through interactive lectures, skills training, module assignments and thematic working groups. You also write a final thesis based on scientific research. The national training plan is the foundation on which both the training organisations and the institutes base their programmes.
What are the entry requirements?
To start the training you need registration in the Dutch BIG register as a qualified doctor. On top of that, you need at least nine months of full-time work experience in occupational medicine as a doctor who is not yet in specialist training. It is recommended to work six to twelve months in the field first, so that you have a good picture of what the specialism involves before the formal training period starts.
You also need a training place at a recognised occupational health service. There are currently more than 60 recognised training organisations in the Netherlands. You apply through the central application portal run jointly by NVAB, NSPOH and SGBO. Since September 2025 that central application has been officially set up, which makes entering the field simpler still.
Practical tips if you want to take the step
- Spend a day shadowing an occupational physician first, to get a realistic picture of the work.
- Make sure your employer is a recognised training organisation with the RGS before you formally start.
- Ask for the organisation's training plan, so that you know what to expect from your practice trainer.
- Considering a lateral entry route or a shortened programme? Discuss it with the training institute, because every situation is different.
- Join the Dutch network for junior occupational physicians for a circle of like-minded trainees and access to meetings and shared knowledge.
Working at a practice that is itself a recognised training organisation has a big advantage: you have direct access to experienced practice trainers and to supervision on the floor.
Why the labour market is waiting for you
The shortage of occupational physicians is structural. Where at least 258 new physicians a year are needed to keep capacity up to strength, only around 90 start each year. At the same time a large part of the current generation is leaving the labour market through retirement. With the rising pension age, a growing number of people with chronic conditions at work and growing attention for mental health and prevention, demand for occupational physicians only keeps rising. Anyone starting the training now steps into a specialism with an excellent position in the labour market and a role that matters to society.
Choosing this training now means choosing a specialism that is genuinely needed on the floor.
Training as an occupational physician is a full four-year medical specialism that combines work and study. You are productive from the first day, while you build the theory through the institute's teaching. The labour market has plenty of room, and anyone taking the step now gains a head start.
Key takeaways
- The training takes four years full-time and combines practical training with one day of institute teaching a week.
- The four years only start counting from the moment you work at a recognised training organisation, not when you enrol at the institute.
- Entry requirements: BIG registration as a qualified doctor and at least nine months of work experience in occupational medicine before specialist training.
- There are two recognised training institutes: NSPOH in Utrecht and SGBO Radboudumc in Nijmegen; applications go through a central portal.
- For lateral entrants and doctors with another specialisation there are shortened two-year routes.
- The shortage of occupational physicians is large and structural, which makes your position in the labour market strong once you qualify.
- Through the Dokter Beter Academy we guide BIG-registered doctors into the occupational physician specialism, with recognised practice trainers and personal supervision.
Are you considering the step into this training? Look at what is possible through the Dokter Beter Academy and find out how we can guide you into this worthwhile specialism.