position on diversity, equity and inclusion in medical education

PhD Candidate on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Medical Education Minoritized students—including first-generation citizens, racialized minorities, women, LGBTQ+ community members, and those from low-income backgrounds—are still underrepresented in Dutch academia. These groups face barriers such as prejudice, resource scarcity, and microaggressions, which discourage participation and lead to a loss of diverse perspectives in academia. Our project uses innovative research to explore how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) challenges shape minoritized students’ experiences and how we can equip them with skills and strategies to facilitate systemic change. The project focuses on minoritized students in medical and teacher education. This vacancy falls under the project ‘Participatory Theatre as a Pedagogy to Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Teacher and Medical Education‘, funded through an Open Competition Large grant from the Dutch Science Foundation (NWO). This project is carried out in a consortium led by the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), in collaboration with the ICLON Leiden University Graduate School of Teaching, the University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMCU), and the Radboud Teachers Academy of the Radboud University Nijmegen. This project will use a longitudinal participatory action research approach with theatre and aims to: - Examine power dynamics and inequalities in educational systems. - Develop educational interventions using co-construction, critical pedagogy, and Theatre of the Oppressed. - Empower and support students to implement transformative DEI changes. PhD Candidate Responsibilities The PhD candidates’ tasks will include: - Actively engaging in the design, development, and assessment of the Theatre of the Oppressed interventions. - Organizing, facilitating, and participating in theatre sessions with professional actors at multiple institutes. - Collecting and analyzing data. The candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with (inter)national partners, develop workshops and (online) educational content, and share research findings in scientific journals, newsletters, and conferences. The PhD candidate at the UMCG will focus on medical education, while their counterpart at Leiden University will focus on teacher education. Both will collaborate with a diverse international research team. This vacancy focuses on the PhD position at the UMCG. In the medical education PhD, the candidate will also work closely with researchers from the UMCU, which may entail regular research visits to facilitate interventions and collect data. Desired Candidate Profile We seek an enthusiastic candidate with a strong affinity for intersectionality and empowering minoritized groups in medical education. Ideal candidates will have: - A (Research) Master’s degree in social, behavioural or educational sciences, humanities, or health professions (such as medicine and nursing). - Interest in Theatre of the Oppressed and Critical Pedagogy; affinity with theatre or similar performing arts is preferred. - Strong analytical skills and experience with or interest in mixed-methods research and participatory research methods. - Social, organizational, and self-regulatory competencies. - Ability to connect and collaborate with students, professionals, and fellow researchers. - Proficiency in English and preferably also in Dutch. We explicitly invite candidates to apply who feel strongly connected to the topic of intersectionality and DEI for minoritized groups, but who do not check all the boxes.