Meet your colleague
Meet your colleague: Ulla Andersen
Ulla Andersen is a PhD student in the Research Unit for User Perspectives and Community-Based Interventions, Department of Health Services Research. Her year long experience as an occupational therapist is now used in research, developing a programme for people with hand osteoarthritis.
Can you explain what your work involves?
In my PhD project, I am developing and evaluating the HANDY programme, which is designed for people with hand osteoarthritis. The programme aims to strengthen collaboration between general practice and municipal occupational therapy.
Previous studies have shown that people with hand osteoarthritis:
- Consult their general practitioner.
- Struggle with daily tasks such as fastening buttons and peeling potatoes.
- Can benefit from occupational therapy to manage these tasks better using compensatory strategies.
- Are rarely referred to municipal occupational therapy.
How long have you been employed at SDU? Have you been here before?
I have been enrolled as a PhD student since 1 January 2023. Before starting my PhD, I was a lecturer at University College Copenhagen.
What is the best thing about your job?
It is meaningful to develop and assess a programme for a target group that currently rarely receives occupational therapy treatment. People with hand osteoarthritis live with a condition for which no medication exists, so it is important to offer non-medical treatment.
Tell us about a work task you are particularly proud of.
I am especially proud of the co-creation process, where we, together with people with hand osteoarthritis, general practitioners, specialists, municipal occupational therapists, and managers, have developed a programme that can eventually be implemented in general practice and municipal occupational therapy.
What is your educational background – how did you end up in this job?
I trained as an occupational therapist and later earned a master’s degree in occupational therapy.
Before entering research, I worked for several years as an occupational therapist in specialised brain injury rehabilitation and later in municipal rehabilitation across multiple diagnostic groups. The purpose of rehabilitation is to enable a meaningful life after illness or injury, with the best possible level of activity, participation, independence, and quality of life.
In my last years in municipal practice, I worked as a development occupational therapist and therapy team leader.
Have you considered other career paths?
For many years, I thought a career in management was the obvious choice.
What do you do in your free time?
I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I like running, cooking, and going to concerts. I especially love running along the southern part of the Harbour Ring in Copenhagen.
Have you seen, read, or listened to anything good recently that you would recommend?
At the moment, I really enjoy listening to podcasts while cycling or taking the train between Odense and Copenhagen. I can recommend Damerne først.
What is your favourite travel destination?
Going to our summer house in the small town of Blokhus by the North Sea in Northern Jutland. In recent years, another highlight has been spending part of my summer volunteering at SMUK-fest.
Do you have a special talent that others might not know about?
For many years, I was a volunteer gymnastics instructor, but at the moment, I have put that on hold.
Who would you like to get to know?
We are spotlighting various employees at the Faculty of Health Sciences (SUND) with a series of standard questions. The aim is to get to know each other better across titles, departments, and tasks.
If you have a suggestion for a colleague at SUND whom everyone should get to know better, or if there is someone you would like to learn more about, please write to us at SUND Communications.
Contact us at: sund-input@health.sdu.dk