Specialization

After finishing my residency in 2017, I already did two years of differentiation in academic benign gynaecology. As a consultant at the VUmc, I am part of the endometriosis and transgender team, became a DaVinci console surgeon, got IOTA ultrasound accredited and I perform most complex benign gynaecological surgeries. My current clinical specialisations are:

  • complex benign, minimally invasive surgery, including endometriosis
  • advanced gynaecological ultrasound, with a special interest in endo- and adenomyosis
  • tertiary referral cases for fibroids, niches, adenomyosis, endometriosis and last resort presentations
  • transgender surgery and fertility counselling

Focus of research

When I started my research career in 2014, I was focussed on qualitative research on digital, post-graduate medical education. My PhD taught me qualitative analysis methodologies, Delphi studies and focus groups. After finishing my PhD in 2019, I was able to continue qualitative research. My research scope and network have broadened, and my special interests now mainly lie in:

  • surgical innovation; here, I focus on evaluating new techniques following the IDEAL process of, for example, uterine niches, fibroid and robotic surgery and transgender surgery.
  • advanced ultrasound imaging; I focus on uterine abnormalities, aiming at a more uniform and standardised gynaecological ultrasound method while using 3D, elastography, CEUS and microvascularity.
  • eHealth and artificial intelligence; we have developed and evaluated several smartphone applications, which we are validating and converting into home diagnostic and treatment applications. Next to these studies, I collaborate with the computer science department of Cambridge to create AI image recognition models.
  • the efficiency of digital medical education; I collaborate with the University of Groningen to find the most effective method of presenting and using digital education in a hybrid education scenario.