In each edition of our alumni newsletter, we speak with one of our alumni about their time as a student at Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (previously iBMG and SAG) and what they are doing now.
This time, we talked to Anouk Busser. She did both the bachelor's degree and the master's degree in Health Care Management (HCM) at ESHPM, graduating in 2017. She is currently working at Maasstad Hospital and in her free time is a committee member of the independent alumni association ESHPMa.
Why did you choose to do ESHPM's bachelor's degree and then HCM?
At an open day, I was really inspired by the broad orientation of the study programme. I knew that I wanted to do something in healthcare, but at policy level. So the bachelor's degree was the perfect match! The HCM master's programme was a good next step. Initially, I found it quite daunting and challenging to follow an English study programme, but I soon got used to it.
What has been your career path since completing your studies?
After my studies, I started looking for a job. Via my network, I got a job at the consultancy 22graden - a nice, small firm which only had ten members of staff at the time. By the time I left, they had expanded quite a bit. The firm has a broad remit in the field of interim management, project management assignments and advisory work. At 22graden, I was involved in the acquisition of projects. I learned a great deal there and was able to expand my network in healthcare. After two and a half years, I moved to Maasstad Hospital, where I've enjoyed working for the past three years. I currently combine the position of Quality & Safety Advisor with the role of Project Manager Value-Driven Healthcare. Having such varied roles makes my job fun and challenging.
What is the most valuable thing you learned during your studies?
The most valuable thing that I learned is the approach to thinking and analysing. During my studies, there was a great deal of focus on doing research, which provided me with very concrete guidelines. It taught me to look at things from a birds’ eye view. It was a very broadly oriented study, and I learned a lot about healthcare. However, it’s only since I’ve been out in the workforce that I realise how useful it is to be able to take such a broad view and think critically.
What is the most valuable thing you learned during your studies?
The most valuable thing that I learned is the approach to thinking and analysing. During my studies, there was a great deal of focus on doing research, which provided me with very concrete guidelines. It taught me to look at things from a birds’ eye view. It was a very broadly oriented study, and I learned a lot about healthcare. However, it’s only since I’ve been out in the workforce that I realise how useful it is to be able to take such a broad view and think critically.
Which lecturer or course do you particularly remember?
In a positive way, I remember Anne Marie Weggelaar as a lecturer. I found her inspiring, and her classes were always engaging.
I also remember all the statistics subjects - mainly because I hated them! However, once you grasped the principles of SPSS, it wasn't so bad.
Are you still in contact with your fellow students?
Since graduating, I've been involved in the independent alumni association ESHPMa (formerly aBMG). So, I not only have contact with fellow students from my own year, but also with alumni from other years.
I spent two and a half years in the ESHPMa activities committee, which was great fun. There was always quite a big group of alumni who joined our activities. For example, we were able to look behind the scenes in various organisations, like the ambulance services. They told us about their work, and we were able to check out the ambulances from up close. We also organised activities to support personal development in the form of workshops. I really enjoyed organising those activities. When it was announced at a General Assembly that a conference for alumni was needed to be organised, I couldn't resist getting involved. With two other alumni and in collaboration with the ESHPM faculty, we are an organising a conference which will be held on 27 October 2023: ‘Zicht op zorg: Wat vindt de patiënt ervan?' The programme looks very promising!
In conversation with... you?
Do you have fond memories of your time at SAG/iBMG/ESHPM that you’d like to share with your fellow alumni? If so, please contact us at alumni@eshpm.eur.nl.