Tanne van de Kreeke – a former lawyer turned epidemiologist
According to Tanne, a former lawyer and now part-time Epidemiology student, the quality of research in general would improve if more people had a better understanding of epidemiology and how the field relates to research methodology. Tanne is clear about the benefits of the master’s programme. Twenty years after her master’s degree in Law, Tanne answered her own lifelong interest in lifestyle medicine and started a bachelor’s in Biomedical Sciences at Maastricht University. After that, she followed with a master’s in Epidemiology.
“I’ve always had an interest in lifestyle medicine. Up until my bachelor’s, I mostly based my own projects and hobbies on it, such as training in nutrition, meditation and yoga”. That interest became even stronger around 2020, when the COVID epidemic started. Tanne noticed a rise in criticism of health research, and she realised she lacked the knowledge for a more scientific career. “That knowledge gap, my interest in lifestyle medicine and a lifelong ambition to pursue a PhD made me apply for the bachelor’s programme Biomedical Sciences at Maastricht University.”
Gaps and triggers
Once started, a generational gap appeared between Tanne in her 40s and a cohort of 18-year-old students. “It was challenging, because I personally felt the age gap between myself and other students, but I must admit all the other students were always positive and found it cool that I pursued my passion.” The generational gap wasn’t the only thing Tanne noticed during her bachelor’s. “We were taught to have a critical view of biomedical publications to assess their level of scientific quality. I quickly found out that research lacking a proper design or interpretation is a trigger for me.”
As a former lawyer, Tanne is used to critically reviewing literature and discovering discrepancies and counterarguments. “That legal-trained side of me appeared again during the course on critical reviews, and I wanted to specialise in research methodology to gain a better understanding of how research should be designed.”
Tanne also wanted to continue with a master’s programme that she could immediately put to use and found that epidemiologists quickly find jobs in all kinds of fields, especially since the programme qualifies for registration as an Epidemiologist A in the Netherlands. “For example, careers in hospitals where epidemiologists support clinicians and students in research projects.”
Open-ended goals
If you are looking for a small-scale programme that teaches you all about research methodology, Tanne suggests having a look at Epidemiology at Maastricht University. “The teaching staff has an open-door policy, and it feels like we all know each other. The programme is certainly not easy, but the graduates have a full toolbox of knowledge to operate in every domain of epidemiology or research methodology.”
Everyone’s goals are different in the programme: “as I am sitting alongside dentists, radiotherapists, pharmacists and many other professions. I’m looking forward to upcoming courses on intervention research, meta-analysis and infectious diseases, and I am doing an elective in qualitative research at the University of Antwerp.”
That legal-trained side of me appeared again during the course on critical reviews, and I wanted to specialise in research methodology to gain a better understanding of how research should be designed.
A programme for puzzlers
Epidemiology is a study programme for puzzlers, dixit programme coordinator Colinda Simons in her interview last year. An analogy picked up by Tanne, who can see pieces of her life assemble into a coherent piece after joining the master’s programme, working towards her PhD dream. “I’m currently working on a proposal for a unique project that will bridge law and epidemiology. The topic is so important that four experts have already expressed interest in supervising and supporting me.”
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