Which diploma is needed in the case of psychotherapists, healthcare psychologists and medical physicists?
The training required to become a psychotherapist and medical physicist is different in many countries to the training in the Netherlands. The profession of healthcare psychologist is only regulated in law in the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands care providers first have to have a university diploma (Master's qualification). After that they have to attend a post-master vocational course in psychotherapy or medical physics (four years) or healthcare psychology (two years).
The following requirements apply to these professions:
- You have a Master's diploma from a university which is comparable to the equivalent Dutch diploma.
- After that you will have acquired a diploma or certificate after completing a post-master course.
- The content and duration of this post-master course will correspond to the Dutch post-master course in healthcare psychology or physiotherapy or medical physics.
- Course elements which are not standard in the Netherlands, such as gestalt therapy, do not count.
If you only have a Master's diploma and work experience and have followed a number of short courses, your application will be rejected. This may not be the case, however, if your profession is regulated by law in the country you have obtained your diplomas.
You should examine the details of the Dutch course carefully before you submit an application.