Text and photo by Mette Krogh Jakobsen, AAU Communication and Public Affairs

From her office, Karina Dahl Steffensen can look out over the new buildings rising around the hospital area, and she can watch students walking to and from campus – placing her right at the heart of the people who matter most in her work: patients, students and researchers.

The moment you step into her office, your eye is drawn to the large, Cobra-inspired artwork by Per Eli. Art plays a big role in her spare time, alongside gastronomy, at her home in Horsens.

“My husband and I love spoiling our guests, and we’re very sociable. Being with other people gives me both energy and purpose,” says Karina Dahl Steffensen.

She grew up in a family of restaurateurs, so her interest in food was there from the very beginning.

From oncologist to dean

Before becoming dean of AAU’s Faculty of Medicine, her business card read chief physician and head of the Centre for Shared Decision-Making at Sygehus Lillebælt. At the same time, she worked as an oncologist and senior consultant at the oncology department at Vejle Hospital, where she often had difficult conversations with families affected by cancer.

“You literally hold other people’s lives in your hands. It has made me humble and deeply aware that patients must always be our compass – even as a medical research institution,” she explains.

For her, a patient is never just a case. It is a human being with hopes, fears and loved ones by their side. That must be reflected in everything we do – in our research, in our teaching and in our collaboration with the healthcare system.

Making a difference for Northern Jutland

Karina Dahl Steffensen has now been dean for almost eight months, and one goal is absolutely clear: to educate doctors who truly make a difference in Northern Jutland.

Seventy-five per cent of medical students in Aalborg continue their postgraduate training in the region. From day one, they learn that the patient always comes first. Along the way, they meet citizens from Skagen to Hobro, both in hospitals and in general practice. It strengthens medical coverage and connects the university to the real world.

Northern Jutland still struggles with medical coverage, with 8 out of 11 municipalities lacking general practitioners. That is why Karina Dahl Steffensen was delighted to welcome an additional 70 students on 1 September last year.

“Our programme has a real impact on ordinary people in Northern Jutland, because our students help increase the number of doctors in the region. That’s why it’s so important that we preserve the medical degree programme at AAU as it is today,” she says.

The university also plays an important role in the new healthcare reform that came into force at the turn of the year. The reform aims to make it easier for citizens to receive treatment locally. It is about ensuring more equal access to healthcare services – whether you live in Thisted or Tåstrup.

“Some people ask why the university needs to be involved in the healthcare reform. The answer is that our research shows how treatments can be delivered closer to citizens, and how this works in practice. That’s why I am inviting municipalities and regions to engage in dialogue with us about how we can work together for the benefit of the public,” she says.

Putting implementation research on the agenda

The dean is keen for the university to help address major societal challenges. For that reason, she is particularly focused on ensuring that research is actually implemented.

“There is a lot of excellent research that never gets implemented properly. That is costly for society and unhelpful for citizens. In the health sector, it’s crucial that we understand how best to introduce new clinical guidelines on hospital wards, or why some municipalities succeed with prevention programmes while others don’t. And we must ensure that digital health solutions are used as intended. They are essential to the future of healthcare,” she says.

This also aligns closely with the university’s health mission.

“It is vital that we listen to the people who face these challenges in their daily work. We shouldn’t do research for its own sake – we must create solutions that bring real value to patients, health professionals and society,” she says.

Impatient – and impeccably organised

According to her colleagues, their new leader is energetic, meticulous and punctual – and, by her own admission, a little impatient.

“Yes, I am impatient, and I’m working on it. But I like to see results, and in that sense, I’ve landed in the perfect place, because everyone here is committed to supporting and carrying out the very best research,” says Karina Dahl Steffensen, who has no regrets about swapping Sygehus Lillebælt for the university by the Limfjord.