Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Jonas Brouwers, 31-year-old orthopedist at University Hospitals Leuven and chair of the Flemish entrance exam committee, plans reforms amid shortages of doctors and dentists, overseeing 1,700 medical students.
As VRT News reported, the Flemish government has appointed Jonas Brouwers, a 31-year-old orthopedist at University Hospitals Leuven, as the new chair of the committee that oversees the Flemish entrance exam for doctors, dentists, and veterinarians.
They mentioned that Brouwers has been involved for years with the Flemish planning committee, which calculates how many doctors and dentists Flanders will need over the next 10 to 20 years. He has led that committee since July 2025.
“People who know me a little know that the quota system for doctors and dentists is close to my heart, because I believe it’s the foundation for good training in our country, but also for good care afterwards. I think that’s how they came to me,”
Jonas Brouwers said.
Brouwers said he had some hesitation before accepting the position.
“The goal is to revitalise the entrance exam with a strong team. It’s a challenge, and we’ll see if we succeed.”
What reforms will Jonas Brouwers bring to the Flemish medical entrance exam?
He referred to the recent case when several students used ChatGPT during the exam. 5 students were removed from the favourable rankings. Later, the Council of State overturned the removal of one student. The case sparked debate about fairness and the integrity of the exam. As chair, Brouwers will ensure the process is transparent and credible. His work will be closely observed by universities, students, and the wider community.
“That fraud shouldn’t have happened,”
Brouwers admits.
“But I’m not blind to the fact that fraud occurs in every type of exam. We must learn from the mistakes and try to minimise them.”
Jonas Brouwers says medical, dental, and veterinary training programs have changed a lot in recent years. Brouwers believes it is important to look closely at what students learn and how candidates are selected at the start of their programs.
“It cannot be the intention that we create an exam that only selects those students who pay for an expensive preparation session.”
Jonas Brouwers
He also believes that
“all students should have the best possible opportunity to pass and be ranked favourably.” “You have to look at the preparation for such an exam. It’s not the intention to create an exam that only selects students who pay for an expensive preparation session. There’s room for improvement there.”
Brouwers also says that all students should have a fair chance to pass and be ranked properly.
“Should it be digital, at various locations, or more centralised and back to pen and paper? We’ll definitely have to figure that out in the coming months.”
He calls for a thorough review of how the exam is organised and run. He asks whether the entrance exam is still relevant, especially because of the shortage of doctors and dentists in Flanders.
“I will answer that loud and clear: yes, such an entrance exam is absolutely relevant and necessary,”
says Brouwers.
“Not only to select good students, but also to organise a high-quality program.”
“We’re talking about programs with a lot of practical training from the first year onwards. You simply can’t do that with 7,000 medical students. That would compromise quality.”
Brouwers suggests the shortages show that changes may be needed. He believes the exam could be improved to better support students and address the needs of the healthcare system.
“We need to dare to ask ourselves: how many people are we admitting? An important caveat is that we’re currently seeing a huge increase in the number of new medical students. There are now 1,700, compared to 450. So, within 12 years, we may have too many doctors.”
In Flanders, the central entrance exam for doctors, dentists, and veterinarians (as of 2023) occurs each summer and is conducted by the Agentschap Hoger Onderwijs Volwassenenonderwijs Kwalificaties en Studietoelagen (AHOVOKS). In order to qualify for access, the students must take the exam and obtain a high ranking. Since 2021, the exam has changed from a paper-based administration to an online exam.
