Emma Oostenbroek

Emma Oostenbroek – Medical student, HLA scholar cohort 3 (2018-19)

In August 2016, I started volunteering for a non-profit organisation Save a Child’s Heart and was named president of ‘Young Leadership The Netherlands’. In this role, I needed to blend the different personalities, qualities and backgrounds of the members to make it a successful team. However, that ability is something I never had the opportunity to learn, even though I am expected as a medical student to develop myself as a leader.

Joining the HLA is how I challenged myself to step up and become more experienced in leadership skills. As the ability to lead is not limited to my role as president of Young Leadership The Netherlands. As a doctor, a big part of my job will be teaching new students and doctors. And second, maybe even more important, is to keep improving medical care by being critical and innovative. The Healthcare Leadership Academy challenges me to discover my own talent and hands me ways to improve my qualities in leadership. Bringing the HLA to Amsterdam is maybe my first step of improving medicine by giving this opportunity to my fellow students in the Netherlands and nearby.