The huisarts as your first step
In the Netherlands, the huisarts (GP) is your first contact for many health problems. KNM questions in the theme gezondheid en gezondheidszorg often test whether you know which institution does what.
The main exam point is scope. DUO likes questions where the wrong answers are also real institutions, but at the wrong level. In healthcare, that often means choosing between the huisarts, the pharmacy, and the hospital.
For KNM, you should know this basic idea: the huisarts is the normal first step when you are ill or need medical help that is not an emergency. The exam tests this as knowledge, not as a personal advice question.
You may also see the role of the praktijkondersteuner huisarts (POH). The 2025 KNM themes added this topic, so you should recognise that it belongs to the GP practice.
Example of the kind of Dutch exam question DUO uses:
Wie kun je bellen als je ziek bent?
Who can you call when you are ill?
- A. De huisarts
The GP - B. De apotheek
The pharmacy - C. Het ziekenhuis
The hospital
This kind of item checks whether you know the first step in the Dutch system. If you mix up institutions, you lose the point.
Health insurance and the deductible
KNM can also ask what you should know about health insurance in the Netherlands. The exam is about facts and institutions, so you should recognise the role of the zorgverzekeraar (health insurer).
A common civic fact is that health insurance exists as part of daily life in the Netherlands. Another exam word you should recognise is the deductible. In Dutch society questions, this is the type of basic system knowledge DUO may test.
The safe way to prepare is to connect each word to the right institution. The zorgverzekeraar is about insurance. The huisarts is about first medical contact. The pharmacy is about medicines. DUO often builds answer options from these nearby institutions.
Example of a likely KNM-style contrast:
Welke instantie gaat over je zorgverzekering?
Which institution is about your health insurance?
- A. De zorgverzekeraar
The health insurer - B. De huisarts
The GP - C. De apotheek
The pharmacy
When you study this topic, focus on matching the right function to the right name. That is the pattern the KNM exam uses across many themes, not only healthcare.
Pharmacy and emergencies
The pharmacy and emergency care are easy to confuse with the huisarts, so this is a good place to practise. On the KNM exam, DUO often tests healthcare through wrong-scope options: all answers sound possible, but only one institution fits the situation.
The pharmacy is not the same as the GP. In exam terms, the pharmacy belongs to medicine, while the huisarts belongs to first medical contact. That distinction is exactly the kind of fact KNM wants you to know.
Emergencies are another common contrast. A knowledge question may place the huisarts, the pharmacy, and the hospital next to each other and ask you to choose the correct place for the situation. The image may show a healthcare setting, but the picture does not give the answer by itself. You still need the civic knowledge.
Example:
Waar haal je medicijnen op?
Where do you pick up medicines?
- A. Bij de apotheek
At the pharmacy - B. Bij de huisarts
At the GP - C. Bij de gemeente
At the municipality
And another pattern:
Wie is vaak de eerste stap bij gezondheidszorg?
Who is often the first step in healthcare?
- A. De apotheek
The pharmacy - B. De huisarts
The GP - C. Het ziekenhuis
The hospital
These questions are short, direct, and fact-based. That matches the new KNM style after 1 July 2025.
What the KNM exam asks about this
The KNM exam does not test long medical explanations. It tests whether you know how Dutch society is organised. In this topic, that means recognising institutions and their roles.
DUO KNM questions are multiple choice with three options. The live exam uses a picture and visible Dutch text. You read the question and choose one correct answer.
For healthcare and the huisarts, the exam tends to ask about:
- who does what in the healthcare system
- which institution fits a situation
- basic healthcare vocabulary from daily life
- nearby but different institutions such as the huisarts, pharmacy, hospital, and zorgverzekeraar
You should expect short stems such as Wie ...?, Waar ...?, Wat is ...?, or Moet/Mag ...?. The answer options are often built to confuse scope, so small differences matter.
A good way to prepare is to practise one fact at a time in Dutch, then check the English meaning. That helps you read the real KNM wording faster.
Try a mini set like this:
Wat is de eerste stap bij veel gezondheidsklachten?
What is the first step for many health complaints?
- A. De huisarts
The GP - B. De apotheek
The pharmacy - C. Het parlement
Parliament
Welke instantie past bij medicijnen?
Which institution fits medicines?
- A. De apotheek
The pharmacy - B. De huisarts
The GP - C. De Belastingdienst
The tax office
When you practise KNM this way, you train the exact skill DUO checks: matching a Dutch situation to the correct institution. InburgeringPrep helps you do that with simple Dutch, clear explanations, and focused practice for A2 KNM.