Post-Doctoral Researcher
Diederik Tim Meijer was born on the 16th of November 1989 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. After completing his secondary education in Alkmaar in 2008, he was admitted to medical school at the VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands, later that year. Halfway through his second year as a medical student, Diederik commenced his research activities at the Sint Lucas Andreas Hospital (now OLVG West), under supervision of Dr. E.Ph. Steller, Job N. Doornberg and Sjoerd A.S. Stufkens. After having obtained his bachelor’s degree, Diederik continued his research with Job Doornberg and Sjoerd Stufkens for another year, while also starting a new research project on Posterior Maolleolar Fractures. The project outline, supported by prof. dr. G.M.M.J Kerkhoffs and prof. dr. J.C. Goslings, ultimately evolved into the present thesis. Diederik received various research grants from a number of foundations, enabling him to continue to pursue his PhD studies whilst undertaking medical internships. During this period, Diederik combined his research activities with volunteering work in Tanzania and South Africa, where he was employed on a voluntary basis by the St Elizabeth Hospital in Arusha, Tanzania, and Tonga District Hospital in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Diederik presented his first paper in 2013 in Venice, Italy, at the 8th Combined Meeting of Orthopaedic Research Societies through a dedicated award by the Traumaplatform Foundation. He subsequently gave his first national presentation during the Traumadagen 2013, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, where Diederik’s presentation was awarded the first prize for best oral presentation. Following this initial engagement, he also presented papers at the AAOS 2016 (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) and OTA 2017 (Orthopaedic Trauma Association). Diederik served as Chair of the Traumaplatform Foundation’s 2016 Ride for Research initiative and is a member of the Scientific Research Assistants Medical Specialties (Stichting Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Assistenten Heelkundige Specialismen; SWOAHS). Following his graduation from medical school in October 2016, he took up a position as a non-training Orthopaedic resident at the MC Slotervaart Amsterdam in January 2017, supervised by Dr. H.M. van der Vis. In August 2018, Diederik commenced his current role of resident in training at the OLVG (East & West), Amsterdam, with the aim of becoming an Orthopaedic Surgeon.