Debbie Jaarsma (1973) currently works as a full professor in medical education at the University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen. Here she is the director of the Center for Education Development and Research in Health Professions and the chair of LEARN (Lifelonglearning Education Assessment Research Network).

Debbie is involved in teacher training and training of academic faculty. Her research focuses on ‘adult’ learning, i.e. undergraduate and postgraduate students, including lifelong learning in health professionals. She is recognised as an expert in course and curriculum development. Innovation of curricula, instruction methods and learning environment, self-regulated learning in academic work, work-engagement, (workplace-based) assessment, quality improvement and faculty development are among my research and teacher’s interests. She currently supervises around 18 PhD students on these topics.

Originally she was trained as a veterinarian at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. And formerly worked at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine where she developed and implemented a program of assessment at the undergraduate’s clinical workplace.

She has published in various international peer-reviewed journals, is a reviewer for several scientific journals and associate editor for Medical Teacher and Perspectives on Medical Education. As a member of the Netherlands Association for Medical Education (NVMO), she chairs its Scientific Committee and was a founding member of the Ethical Review Board for research on medical education. Debbie holds a Basic and Senior Teaching Qualification and is involved in teaching (medical) students and their teachers in didactic and leadership skills.