PhD Candidate: Enhancing Reflective Practice in Health Professions Education

Welcome to Maastricht University!

How can coaching better support young healthcare professionals and clinical teachers in work-based learning? Coaching is an integral part of postgraduate medical training, yet clear definitions of coaching in medical work-based learning are still lacking. This PhD project explores the enablers and barriers to effective coaching in clinical workplaces and investigates how effective coaching practices can be implemented in health professions education. If you are interested in medical education and research, this PhD project offers an opportunity to contribute to improving coaching in medical residency training and, ultimately, the learning and development of healthcare professionals.

PhD Candidate Enhancing Reflective Practice in Health Professions Education

• Our goal: To identify the enablers and barriers for coaching in work-based learning and to understand how young healthcare professionals and clinical teachers engage with these factors. The project will contribute to developing directions for the implementation of effective coaching practices in health professions education.
• Your colleagues: You are part of a young, ambitious and dynamic team focus on having a global impact on healthcare through research and translating this into education.
  
  

What you do

Coaching is an integral part of nearly all postgraduate medical training programs. Nonetheless clear definitions of coaching in medical work-based learning do not exist.

Within health professions education, clinical teachers play an essential role in coaching, for example, by encouraging residents to critically think about their clinical performance and how this can be improved. Yet, the specific workplace conditions and supervisory strategies that best support and sustain coaching remain largely unexplored.

This PhD project aims to identify the enablers and barriers for coaching in work-based learning and how young healthcare professionals and teachers elect to engage with these enablers and barriers. In addition, this project will explore directions for the implementation of effective coaching practices in work-based learning.

Candidates with a medical degree have the opportunity to combine their PhD research with clinical work within the Department of Internal Medicine at MUMC+. Those who are currently in residency training can combine their residency training with a PhD position, offering a unique opportunity to develop their clinical and research expertise alongside each other.

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you. 

What you bring 
We’re not looking for checkboxes; we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in this?

We are looking for a curious, motivated, and communicative PhD candidate with a passion for educational research in healthcare settings and an interest in coaching within medical work-based learning. You have strong communication and collaboration skills and are a team player who enjoys working in an interdisciplinary environment with young healthcare professionals and clinical teachers. You take a proactive approach, bring your own ideas and perspectives, and are motivated to explore the enablers and barriers of coaching and contribute to the development of effective coaching practices in health professions education.

Furthermore, you bring:

• A  master’s degree in Education, Psychology, Health Sciences, Global Health, Medicine or a related field.
• You have experience with academic research, including designing and/or conducting research, collecting and analysing data, and applying qualitative and quantitative research methods relevant to educational research. Experience in qualitative research is considered an advantage.
• Experience as an intern or resident or experience in health professions education is considered an advantage.
• You have a C1 level of proficiency in both spoken and written Dutch and English, as the position involves conducting interviews with Dutch-speaking participants and communicating in an academic environment.

What we offer
At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer: 

• A 12-month contract (0,8 FTE) with the prospect of a 3 year extension based on mutual satisfaction.
• A gross monthly salary between € 3.059 and € 3.881 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus. 
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours. 
• Flexible working hours, a home office allowance, and the option to work from home. 
• Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas. 
• A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with. 
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities. 
• An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe. 

About the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML)
FHML is committed to health in the broadest sense: from molecule to human, and from healthcare to prevention. We train healthcare professionals and researchers through innovative educational programmes and conduct groundbreaking research in health and well-being. As part of Maastricht UMC+ (MUMC+), our international and interdisciplinary community forms a unique collaboration between university and academic hospital, where education, research, and care come together.

Department of Educational Development and Research

This department supports innovation and research of bachelor’s, master’s and postgraduate training programs within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), Maastricht University in various domains, such as instruction and e-learning, assessment, faculty development, and evaluation or quality improvement.

https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/educational-development-research

School of Health Professions Education (SHE)

The School of Health Professions Education (SHE) is a graduate school for research, education and innovation in health professions education. SHE’s ambitions are captured in our vision: excellent healthcare requires evidence-informed models for the education of future and current healthcare professionals.

https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/school-health-professions-education-0

Interested?
Want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Reach out to Dr. Liselot Valkenburg – van Iersel via l.valkenburg@maastrichtuniversity.nl. The deadline for submitting your application is 4 October 2026.

Apply now via the button below. We look forward to getting to know you!

About Maastricht University
At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.