“What appeals to me most about physiotherapy is that you can achieve so much without medication or surgery”, says Dennis van den Berg. After high school, he decided to follow a bachelor’s programme in physiotherapy. “You can make people better with something relatively simple: exercise is the cheapest medicine we have.”
After that, Dennis went to work as a physiotherapist, but he felt drawn to theory and the world of science. He explored academic master's programmes and chose the Master's in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Sciences at VU Amsterdam because he wanted to delve into movement analysis.
It turned out to be a perfect fit: “When devising and carrying out movement analyses, a whole new world opens up for you and the possibilities are endless: you name it. As a physiotherapist, I had all kinds of ideas about why my patients had certain complaints: now I was given a candy store full of possibilities to demonstrate that.”
The connection between science and professional practice also appealed to Dennis in the programme. In his research, his main goal is to improve professional practice. At MPS, Dennis saw similar ambitions among his fellow students: “The students have a passion for the profession.” That is why Dennis recommends the master's in MPS for students who have the ambition to advance physiotherapy. What he also remembers about his time at Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Sciences are the approachable and committed teachers.
Dennis currently works as a physiotherapy lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, but the scientific world kept calling. He succeeded in obtaining a PhD position at VU Amsterdam through an NWO lecturer grant. He divides his time between teaching, conducting research, and a data analysis project. This combination brings together all of Dennis' interests and ambitions. “What better place to improve the profession than in education and science? You are at the forefront of implementation.” He adds: “What I found difficult about my work as a physiotherapist was that I only had an influence on the people I saw. What I enjoyed most was informing and advising patients: what is happening in your body. As a teacher, I now have an influence on future physiotherapists, who in turn have an influence on patients. That really appeals to me.”
In his PhD, Dennis examines the use of questionnaires by physiotherapists for people with hip and knee prosthesis. These questionnaires are often completed, but their use during treatment can be further optimised. Dennis is investigating the possibilities to improve the use of these questionnaires during the treatment of individual patients. After his PhD, he hopes to continue to combine science with education.
Dennis advises students to enjoy the social aspect of studying and to look at what VU Amsterdam has to offer. “MPS has greatly broadened my possibilities and my world”, says Dennis. His advice: “Make sure you are open-minded and open to discovering. Be curious.”
