Vera Broks
PhD candidate
v.broks@erasmusmc.nl
Research
I try to find out more about how changes in the educational environment (selection, binding study advice) impact student performance. Why? Because it is important for medical schools to improve study progress to create a workforce of future doctors. However, changes in the educational environment also possibly impact student wellbeing. Think for example about stress due to higher performance standards. Besides that, medical student wellbeing has been a topic for a longer time as it is known that the prevalence of mental distress is higher in medical students compared to their peers. Therefore, I investigate how changes in the educational environment influence the performance as well as wellbeing of medical students.
Most proud of
After the COVID-19 outbreak we were able to assess how this impacted students’ perceived stress because we collected data before and after the outbreak. I am very proud that we were able to adapt our research to these events as it is such a recent and relevant topic. We presented our results in different settings to put the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on student wellbeing on the agenda.
Main motivation
For me, it is a very big motivation that I help to optimise education for the doctors of our future. What I think is very important, is to recognise that medical students are more than students that need to perform, their wellbeing should not be forgotten and is at least as important.
Get in touch with me about
(Medical) Student wellbeing and performance