The Netherlands has a shortage of medical specialists and maths and language teachers because students find it difficult to get onto medical courses and teaching is not seen as an attractive option.

‘Of all the rich countries, the Netherlands has the fewest medical specialists,’ economics professor Bas van der Klaauw said in an interview in the Volkskrant. The shortage has led to disproportionately high salaries, he said.
Students are accepted for medical studies on a numerus fixus basis, which makes getting onto courses a lottery. The professor wants the system relaxed to allow for more medical students.
Teachers
Where teaching is concerned, the Netherlands has the biggest shortage in maths and languages in the EU, according to figures from Eurydice, the EU database.
In 2009, 30.8% of Dutch schools said they had a shortage of maths teachers and 21.1% a shortage of language teachers. The EU average is 15% and 7.7% respectively.
The Netherlands is currently spending €829m on improving teacher training and ensuring young teachers can move more quickly to a higher salary level, says the Telegraaf.
The education ministry expects the teacher shortage to reach its peak in 2016 and to be filled by 2020, the paper says.