Jesse van Weelderen

In 2022 I obtained my medical degree at Utrecht University. After completing my studies, I worked in the hospital for two years as a resident in Internal Medicine/Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and in the Emergency Department. Currently I am pursuing a PhD at the Centre of Expertise in Palliative Care Utrecht. My ambition is to combine my PhD trajectory with the general practitioner training program.

The research of my PhD trajectory focuses on optimizing appropriate use of medications in the palliative phase at home. This is important as we know that patients with chronic, incurable diseases often use unnecessary medications. The consideration of discontinuing these is poorly applied in practice and is not carried out routinely. Among others, I am involved in the PASVORM project, where we aim to implement routine medication reviews in general practice during the palliative phase.

The goal of my research is to promote appropriate and meaningful care in the palliative phase at home, ultimately optimizing the quality of life of the individual patient and their sense of autonomy.