The difference in usage between titles and appointments can sometimes be confusing.
Appointment means assigning a person to fulfil a particular office or position.
The title of medical doctor, on the other hand, is conferred by law following the passing of an appropriate examination. The emphasis in higher professional education lies mainly on the transfer of theoretical knowledge combined with the development of skills which closely match those needed in professional practice. Universities primarily provide education focusing on preparing students for the independent practising of science or the professional application of scientific knowledge. Both HBO and university courses lead to a degree and the conferring of a title. Most of these titles are awarded by the Agricultural University or one of the three universities of technology in the Netherlands.