The history of the psychiatrist's training in the Netherlands is described. Important themes, like duration of the training, examination, psychotherapy, research and the shortage of psychiatrists have been discussed for years without great changes.

Since 1933, when the `register of specialists' has been introduced, increasingly more and detailed requirements haven been formulated.

A major change occurred in the sixties, after the separation from neurology: ever since the training-requirements have been less medical, to the benefit of community psychiatry and psychotherapy.

Although the increasingly formalised training-requirements can improve quality of training they should not be too restrictive and leave room for creativity of trainers and trainees.