Professor Machteld Marcelis may continue her work at Maastricht University. Marcelis was suspended last year as head trainer at the Eindhoven Mental Health Care (GGzE) after reports of an unsafe learning climate. An investigation into those reports has now exonerated her. It is not yet clear whether she will soon be allowed to work at the GGzE again.
Marcelis came under fire last year after complaints submitted to both the GGzE and Maastricht University. At the GGzE she was head trainer of the psychiatry course. Several (former) doctors in training as psychiatrists had complained about working with her. She resigned from her job as head teacher and would certainly not return before 1 March. It is not clear what happens after that date. “We are talking to her. There is little else to say about it,” says a spokesperson for the GGzE.
Social insecurity
Maastricht University also received several complaints about her in the summer of last year. There could be social insecurity. Marcelis is professor of Transdiagnostics in Psychiatry there. The university launched an investigation last summer. In the meantime, the professor was allowed to continue her scientific work.
Communication
Researchers spoke to various stakeholders at the university, such as the PhD students Marcelis supervised and other scientists who have worked with her. The reports about Marcelis were mainly about ‘divergent expectations’. “Then you have to think of PhD students who all have different expectations about their supervision,” says Executive Board president Rianne Letschert. “It’s all about communication in this case.”
There is no question of social insecurity, the researchers conclude. However, all doctors in training and other PhD students are in a dependent position. But enough is being done within the university to prevent abuse of this.
READ ALSO:
Head trainer of psychiatrists at GGzE also under fire at Maastricht University
Psychiatry training GGzE in Eindhoven is allowed to continue, but under supervision