My research
I am working as a PhD student at the department of ‘Health Services Research’. My field of interest is the identification and treatment of frailty among community-dwelling older people. Before starting my PhD trajectory I have attended the CAPHRI Health Sciences Research Master (HSRM). My master thesis was about the validation of three frailty instruments and has been published in an international and national scientific journal. During the master I have also developed a research proposal for a cluster randomized controlled trial. The proposal got financial approval by ZonMw and resulted in a position as PhD student. Currently, I am evaluating the effectiveness, feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a preventive self-management programme for community-dwelling frail older people. My ambition is to improve the quality of life and daily functioning of frail older people by means of high quality research.
Education, training and conference visits
CAPHRI offers me the possibility to become a capable researcher. Out of an extended education and training programme I am free to choose courses that fit my personal needs. Many courses are free of charge, but I have also a personal budget for additional courses or for visiting conferences in my field of research. I have been on national and international conferences (New Orleans, 2010; Boston, 2011) to present the results of my research.
Supervision and support
I work alongside the research staff of my department in a helpful and stimulating environment. Many of my colleagues are PhD students as well and we may exchange our experiences. I am supervised by a team of excellent researchers. They share their knowledge and experience with me by providing constructive feedback. In an open and trustful atmosphere I can discuss my questions and concerns with them. My supervisors value my work and offer me support to grow as a researcher. In case of questions, advice or problems also a PhD co-ordinator and a confidential advisor are available at CAPHRI who have always a sympathetic ear for their PhD students. So you never feel alone within CAPHRI!
Future
My aim is to finish my PhD thesis within the next 1.5 years and to continue my work as a post-doc researcher - hopefully within CAPHRI.