she graduated as a medical doctor at the université libre de bruxelles (ulb) in 1974 and obtained a master of medical oncology at the ulb in 1976. in 1977 she certified before the "educational commission for foreign medical graduates" (ecfmg) in the united states. she obtained a fulbright prize in 1977 and in 1977 and 1978 worked as a research fellow at the memorial sloan-kettering cancer center in new york city (united states). she obtained a master in internal medicine at the ulb in 1979 and a phd and venia legendi in 1985. in 1990 she obtained a "certificate in hospital hygiene" at the ulb.