After finishing her bachelor's degree and her master's degree in Human Movement Sciences at VU Amsterdam, Laura Habets was not yet done with her studies. During the master's programme, Laura completed an internship at the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital at the Children's Movement Center. Laura said, “During the Bachelor's in Human Movement Sciences, I was already drawn to the rehabilitation and care side. This internship further sparked my interest in physiotherapy.”
The medical aspect of the Master's in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Sciences at VU Amsterdam appealed to Laura. Additionally, Laura chose the master's programme because of its interesting courses and well-regarded lecturers. The programme met her expectations: “The programme is a good fit for students who are interested in physiotherapy and looking for more in-depth research alongside hands-on work”, according to Laura.
“The master's students at MPS formed a close-knit group”, Laura says. Besides the social aspect, she found great value in the research skills she acquired during the programme. For her thesis, Laura set up her own research project. She studied shoulder complaints in patients who had been treated for breast cancer. Radiation may cause an adhesion of a nerve in the shoulder area. “I used ultrasound to look at the mobility of that nerve in the upper arm. It was very educational to be able to practice with ultrasound. But the contact with the patients was what I found most valuable.”
After graduating, the world lay open to Laura. Through her supervisor at the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, she was offered a job as a junior researcher, studying fatigue in patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). This research led to a PhD position, marking the beginning of Laura’s own research. “We conducted supine exercise tests on SMA patients to examine the energy metabolism of their arm muscles.” Once again, the contact with patients appealed to Laura. “I enjoyed taking the time to involve patients in the research and explain what we were doing.”
Her supervisor had once mentioned that education would be a good fit for Laura. So when a vacancy came along at The Hague University of Applied Sciences as a lecturer at the Physical Education Teacher Training Programme (HALO), she applied. There, she now supervises students in their graduation projects and teaches subjects such as Movement Analysis, Motor Learning, and Research Skills across various academic years. In addition, Laura is affiliated with the research group Healthy Lifestyle in a Stimulating Environment, where she spends one day a week conducting research on the intensity of gym classes. “Doing applied research alongside teaching provides a great opportunity for me to continue developing myself and deepening my understanding, as well as involving students in the research.”
