My name is Elvira Brand. I was born in Leiden in the Netherlands, and for my bachelor in Psychobiology at the UvA I moved to Amsterdam where I live now. After my bachelor, I continued with a Master’s in neuroscience. Now I work at the Nationaal MS Fonds (National MS Foundation), which is based in Rotterdam.
Meet the professional
I am a medical editor, which means I write about medical topics. Currently my team and I are working on a new website for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The goal of this new platform is to provide people with MS with information about their disease. Articles I write about are for example about symptoms, treatment, how to live with the disease and ongoing research.
Skills
Find out the key skills to becoming a Medical Editor. we sometimes do meetings with MS patients who tell us what they want to see in the platform. Active listening is crucial. When I left university, I only knew how to write research articles, but in my job I am learning how to write other kinds of texts as well Every article I am writing is a result of a deep-dive into the topic. Sometimes I’m assigned to a topic that feels ‘meh’ at first. But then I research it and it comes alive, and then I want to know more and more about it There are a lot of claims about certain diets, supplements and lifestyle changes that are supposed to ‘cure’ MS. However, I always stay critical and have to filter out what has a scientific base and what doesn’t. the majority of the population has to understand what I’m writing about. Also people without an academic background. Some of the words I want to use are too abstract and complex. Then I have to find a way around it to explain the topic in a simple way.Active Listening
Writing
Research
Curiosity
Critical Thinking
Creativity
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Advice to take away
Do whatever you like professionally and in your personal life. Only do things because YOU are curious about them and not because it will be good for your CV. If you are like me and you need lots of time resting, spending time with friends and hobbies, then take that time. I know this is a career event, but remember that career isn’t everything.
Disclaimer
The SEER receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme project The SEER (Grant agreement: 101058569) coordinated by European Schoolnet (EUN).
The overarching objective of the SEER project is to provide a set of roadmaps that will pave the way for the policy and institutional changes necessary for the large-scale implementation and mainstreaming of STE(A)M education in Europe. The project will synthesise the status of STE(A)M Education and evaluate gaps in European policies and initiatives while analysing the needs of teachers and schools to support the design of a set of milestones and strategies for key stakeholders, including policymakers, school decision makers, teachers, and industry.