Choosing a teaching-focused career: How Geert Schenk found more impact and fulfilment
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“Ever since I started seeing teaching as my core business and made a conscious choice about what research I do on the side, I’ve been enjoying both more.”
- Geert Schenk on his conscious switch from a 100% research profile to teaching.
Choosing teaching as a full-fledged profile takes courage, but it pays off: for yourself, for students, and for the organization. This is evident from the story of Geert Schenk, an anatomist and, more recently, an associate professor of education at Amsterdam UMC. He started in the Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience as a full-time researcher, but realized that his heart lay primarily in teaching. “I found fulfillment in designing, delivering, and innovating education, not in writing papers,” he says.
With the support of his supervisors and the Educational Leadership Program (LOL), he made a conscious choice: education became his primary focus, while research took on a smaller, supplementary role. That wasn’t a Plan B, but a clear Plan A.
Making a conscious choice for teaching
That choice wasn’t a given one. In research, career steps are clear and measurable (grants, publications); in education, much less so. “For years, I did a lot of work that wasn’t very visible. A well-run course or the successful introduction of an educational innovation stands out less than a major grant. You have to make that explicit,” says Geert.
He offers a number of practical tips for colleagues who want to focus (more) on a teaching profile:
5 tips for building a teaching-focused career
- Be honest about what energizes you
Think about what makes or breaks your workday: a successful lecture or a successful grant? Reflection in, for example, the LOL helped Geert realize: this is where my greatest contribution—and joy—lies. - Make your teaching achievements visible
Educational impact is less tangible, but it can be made concrete:- mention coordination roles (semester, curriculum, program committee, examination committee);
- describe educational innovations (such as Springlab, where students design and deliver their own courses);
- use positive evaluations and awards as evidence;
- quantify hours, responsibilities, and compensation for the department wherever possible.
- Have a conversation with your supervisor and present a proposal
Don’t wait around. Put it on the table yourself: this is what I do, this is what it yields, and this is where I want to grow. Ensure that annual reviews and evaluations focus primarily on teaching if that is your profile. - Dare to say no to research
An educational profile doesn’t mean research is off the table, but it does mean you have to be more selective. Geert accepts projects and PhD students that align with his expertise and energize him, and he consciously says no more often. “Otherwise, you spread yourself too thin.” - Invest in a teaching network
Networking matters in teaching too: within the faculty, the university, and at the national and international levels. Geert’s roles on educational committees and within the Dutch Anatomical Society help to launch new educational initiatives and effectively position the field—with tangible benefits for the department.
Recognition and career paths for educators
Geert feels privileged to be part of a department where education is taken seriously and where several colleagues have an educational profile. At the same time, he recognizes that recognition and rewards for education are not a given everywhere. His call to action: make educational profiles concrete and equal, and ask department heads to actively identify talents and create appropriate career paths for them.
More focus, more enjoyment
For him personally, the choice has paid off: “Since I started seeing teaching as my core business and consciously chose what research I do on the side, I’ve enjoyed both more. Teaching became my main focus—and precisely because of that, research became more enjoyable too.”