Academic interests
I am a specialist in rehabilitation medicine, and my main area of interest is rehabilitation regarding (long-)lasting disabilities - how to reduce them and how to live in the best possible way despite them. I am both interested in which measures can be helpful for the individual, and how to change health services in order to improve the lives of as many as possible. How technology might contribute in this, is an exciting area.
My research is mainly about acquired brain injury, i.e. rehabilitation of stroke, traumatic brain injury and other acquired brain injuries. I am especially interested in disturbances of cognitive function and in language problems due to brain injury (aphasia). In recent years, I have been working with quality registries and been working with a register at Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospitaland a nationwide register. At Sunnaas, I am heading the research group for aphasia and registerdata.
Courses taught
I teach meadical students in module 3 (introduction to rehabilitation and interdisciplinary collaboration), in module 4 (neurorehabilitation, aphasia) and in module 8 (rehabilitation services and responsibilities, goalplanning, communication with patients with cognitive and communication disorders).
I also teach courses for specialist candidates in physical and rehabilitation medicine and other health personell groups. In addition, I supervise at PhD-, master- and bachelor level.
Background
- 2015: Licensed European specialist in Physical Medicine and rehabilitation (European Union of Medical Specialists)
- 2009: PhD from the University of Oslo: "Auditory perception and language comprehension in aphasia – An event-related brain potentials (ERP) study"
- 2009: Specialist in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine after training periods at Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital and St. Olavs Hospital (Dept. of physical and rehabilitation medicine, Neurological department and Neurosurgical department)
- 1990 - 1998: Studies of Medicine at Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel
- 1988 - 1990: Paramedic
Positions held
- Head of Advisory Council for Norwegian Quality Register for Rehabilitation
- Head of the Sunnaas Quality Register
- Head of the Advisory Council for rehabilitation (Fagråd rehabilitering) of the South Eastern Norway Regional Health Trust
- Member of the Editorial Board of the journal Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation
- Member of Trials for Aphasia Panel
- Member of working group 3 “Prognosis and Predictors of Recovery” of the research network “Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists” (CATs)
- Responsible for rehablitation in the revision of the Norwegian national gudelines for treatment and rehabilitation of stroke
- Former member of working group "Nordic Network in Neurorehabilitation"