333 About the author About the author Tjitske van Engelen was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 1989. After graduating cum laude from the Sint Nicolaas Lyceum in Amsterdam in 2007, she began her medical studies at the University of Amsterdam. During her time as a student, Tjitske played an active role in the Medicine program, representing student interests as chair of the Student Council and later serving as a student representative on the program’s board. During her master’s, inspired by her first encounters with clinical practice, she thoroughly enjoyed the breadth of her medical internships and participated in the master’s Honours program. In the final phase of her training, Tjitske expanded her perspective internationally with a research internship at the Infectious Diseases Department of Massachusetts General Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, in Boston, USA, as well as a clinical internship at the small regional St. Lukes hospital in Malosa, Malawi. These experiences highlighted for her the profound impact of socioeconomic factors on health outcomes, and she was inspired by physicians who considered a patient’s broader life context when diagnosing and treating illnesses. She completed her medical training cum laude at the OLVG hospital in Amsterdam, specializing in Internal Medicine. After qualifying as a Medical Doctor in 2015, Tjitske began working as a resident not in training at the Department of Internal Medicine of the Flevoziekenhuis in Almere. Motivated by her research experience in Boston, she pursued a PhD in 2017 on the topic of pneumonia and sepsis at the Amsterdam University Medical Center as an AMC PhD Scholarship recipient, under supervision of prof. dr. T. van der Poll, prof. dr. W.J. Wiersinga and prof. dr. J.M. Prins. During her PhD she actively engaged in science communication and public outreach, which led to her becoming a national finalist in an international science communication competition and presenting at an annual event organized by the NWO, where journalists, press officers and researchers exchange knowledge on the latest developments in science. Additionally, Tjitske was selected by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences to attend the 68th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany where she had the opportunity to connect with researchers and Nobel Laureates from around the world. Currently, Tjitske is a medical resident in training to become an Internal Medicine specialist, working at both the Amsterdam University Medical Center and OLVG Hospital in Amsterdam. She is passionate about contributing to a sustainable healthcare system, with a particular focus on preserving the dedication and well-being of healthcare professionals, while ensuring that healthcare remains accessible in the face of rising demands and financial constraints, especially for patients who are less able to advocate for themselves. Tjitske lives in Weesp together with her husband and two children.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTk4NDMw