Degrees

2008                              PhD  Utrecht University “Assessment of (patho)physiological alterations in equine muscle metabolism”
    
1987-1996                     DVM, Utrecht University

Co-Promotor  
A. Van den Brom-Spierenburg  Equine Neonatology (2021-present)
S. van Zalen                                 Education; Eyetracking (2024-present)
N. Ankringa                                  Equine Asthma markers (2024-present)

Opponent at PhD defense Michael Hewetson  “Sucrose permeability as a marker of gastric mucosal integrity in the horse” University of Helsinki, December 7th, 2018

Reviewer of various journals 2010-present:  Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Equine Veterinary Journal, The Veterinary Journal, Pferdeheilkunde, Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

H-index: 14

Grants:           

• 2025    Member Project team Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek (NRO). Bridging the Gap: Optimizing workplace-based learning for future professionals € 199.800
• 2024    Member Project team Vets4Welfare “Introducing a novel tool to compare stress levels in captive and wild Macaca Fascicularis” € 20.000
• 2023    Project leader Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Grant € 9.693,70
• 2021    Member Project team Erasmus grant € 300.000
• 2021    Project leader FSO project 'souffles € 7.500
• 2021    Project leader FSO project ‘eClinic’ € 44.000
• 2020    Project leader  LifeLong Learning Project Apotheekbeheer € 4.000
• 2020    Project leader  Research grant ‘Methods of anesthesia in cats’ € 12.000
• 2019    Project leader  Research grant ‘Cortisol in hair of cats as method of measuring stress’ € 8.000

Selected distinctions and other merits

2023                            Nomination Senior Teacher Award Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University

2017                            Achievement Award European College of Equine Internal Medicine

2015                            Nomination Senior Teacher Award Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University

2015                            Hippo Zorg Horse Insurance Award  European Veterinary Conference ‘Voorjaarsdagen’: “Best Presentation”

2013                            Senior Qualification Teaching (SKO)

2010                            Equine Veterinary Teacher of the year

2009                            Basic Qualification Teaching (BKO)

2007                            Specialist and Diplomate of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine (ECEIM)

2005                            “Specialist Equine Internal Medicine” of the Royal Netherlands Veterinary Association

Selection of Courses  (See also list of courses and congresses)

2022                            Senior Leadership Track Utrecht University

2021- 2022                 Associate Professor Leadership Course, Utrecht University

2021                            LEAD leadership course Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University

2019 -2020                  Lighthouse International Educational Leadership Program for Experienced University Educational Leaders

2019                             Programme for Directors of Education

2017- 2018                  Vet 2020 Leadership Course Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University

2010 - 2011                 Academic Leadership in Teaching (Centre of Excellent University Teaching CEUT), Utrecht University, with TAUU as spin-off (Teaching Academy Utrecht University)

2000 - 2022                 Numerous professional courses and congresses (for veterinary medicine, for teaching and for personal development)

Employment record

2019 - 2025                Director of Education Master of Veterinary Science

2019 -present              Associate Professor, Department of Equine Sciences, Internal Medicine, Utrecht University; clinic, research, teaching, management

2008 - 2019                 Assistant Professor, Department of Equine Sciences, Internal Medicine, Utrecht University

2005 - 2008                 Junior teacher/researcher Department of Equine Sciences, Internal Medicine, Utrecht University

2001 - 2004                 Resident Equine Internal Medicine, Department of Equine Sciences, Internal Medicine, Utrecht University

2000                            Veterinary Assistant, Department of Equine Sciences, Internal Medicine, Utrecht University

1996 - 2000                 Private mixed practice, Middelharnis, the Netherlands

Membership of Professional Bodies

KNMvD Royal Netherlands Veterinary Association

GGP Association of Equine Practitioners of the KNMvD, nowadays named  “Cluster Paard”

GVS Association of Veterinary Specialists of the KNMvD

ECEIM European College of Equine Internal Medicine

EBVS European Board of Veterinary Specialists

Fields of teaching and research within Internal Medicine

Equine Clinical Rotations

Equine Respiratory diseases, with focus on Equine Asthma

Equine Muscle disorders

Equine Neonatology

Research (see also list of publications / presentations)

Main research subjects

• 2004-present Equine muscle metabolism including Atypical Myopathy in horses
• 2002-present Equine respiratory disorders
• 2021-present Equine Neonatology
• 2021-present Education

Key publications:

• Westermann C.M., de Sain-van der Velden M.G., van der Kolk J.H., Berger R., Wijnberg I.D., Koeman J.P., Wanders R.J., Lenstra J.A., Testerink N., Vaandrager A.B., Vianey-Saban C., Acquaviva-Bourdain C., Dorland L. Equine biochemical multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD) as a cause of rhabdomyolysis. Mol Genet Metab. 2007 Aug; 91(4):362-9.
• Westermann C.M., Dorland L., Votion D.M., de Sain-van der Velden M.G.M., Wijnberg I.D., Wanders R.J.A., Spliet W.G.M., Testerink N., Berger R., Ruiter J.P.N., van der Kolk J.H. Acquired multiple Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency in 10 horses with atypical myopathy.
  Neuromuscular Disorders 2008; 18(5): 355-364.
• Westermann, C.M., Van Leeuwen R., van Raamsdonk L.W.D. Mol, H. Hypoglycin A concentrations in maple tree species in the Netherlands and the occurrence of atypical myopathy in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2016, May;30(3):880-4.
• Westermann C.M., Bok H.G.J. A decade of experience in high-stakes decision-making in competency-based education. JAVMA 2023; doi.org/10.2460/javma.23.05.0247

Management style

I am interested in soft aspects, talents and ambitions of people, and have preference for an optimal fit between organization and staff interests.

I prefer a mix of leadership and coaching, with emphasis on space for people to give input and enhance their own creativity.  

I love creating new formats and explore possibilities to improve education or clinical work.

Administrative activities

·         Departmental

2019 - present             Program Director ECEIM for Department

2018 - present             Supervisor colleagues in senior teaching qualification course

2017 - 2023                Coordinator equine courses on “circulation-respiration-urinary-blood”

2015 - 2021                 Member Helpdesk Equine infectious diseases (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, CVI (Central Veterinary Institute) and GD (National Health Service)

2013 - present             Supervisor colleagues in basis teaching qualification course

2012 - 2018                 Member Equine Master Teaching Committee (MOC-P)

2011 - 2012                 Coordinator Equine rotations C2001

2008  -2014                 Member and chair  of the social committee

2008 - 2015                 Member of  Congress Committee (chair 2011-2015)

2008 - 2017                 Supervisor residents

2006  -present             Formulary Committee

2006 - present             Supervisor students in bachelor and master thesis, tutor of students

·         Faculty

2025 - present                      Member advisory board "DOE-dag (Diergeneeskunde Outdoor Event)

2024 - present                      Chair “kennel-committee

2024                                      Team member Accreditation / Visitation AVMA & co-author self accreditation report

2023                                       Project Leader Accreditation / Visitation AVMA & co-author self accreditation report

2022 - 2024                           Chair Onderwijsdagcommissie

2022 - 2025                           Chair and founder teaching and Learning Committee, Fac Vet Med

2022 - 2025                           Chair Curriculum Committee Master of Vet Med

2022 - 2025                           Member Infectious Disease Outbreak Management Team, Fac Vet Med

2022 – present                     External coach PhD student

2021 - 2024                           Member faculty working group Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

2021 - 2025                           Chair of workgroup “education” in new housing project Fac Vet Med

2021 - 2025                           Chair Portfolio committee Scorion

2021 - 2022                           Chair project team eClinic

2021 - present                        Member advisory board DSK (veterinary student association)

2021 - present                       Course coordinator master 2022 “Thursday afternoons”

2021 - 2023                            Member expertise committee master 2022

2021                                        Project group “Primary care Veterinary Medicine”

2021                                        Project group NVAO accreditation

2020 - 2021                            Member covid-education team

2020 - 2021                            Chair workgroup “test improvement”

2020 - 2021                            Member development team master 2022

2019 - 2025                           Chair admissions committee Master Fac Vet Med

2019 - 2025                            Program Director BVISP (Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program)

2019 - 2025                            Member Board of Studies Fac Vet Med

2019 - 2023                            Member committee ‘Kwaliteitsafspraken’

2019 - 2023                             Member library committee

2019 - 2021                             Chair project group “Ready Vet Go”, enhancing connection student-working life

2017 - 2019                             Project Manager LifeLong Learning

2017 - 2018                             Vet 2020 member advisory group and Project leader “Connection”

2014 - 2017                             Team leader Equine Medicine

2014 - 2023                             Member advisory board Capita Selecta Fac Vet Med

2013 - 2019                             Member Bachelor Teaching Committee Professional Development (LOC PO)

2009 - 2014                             Member of the Faculty Education Committee

2008 - 2014                             Member Skillslab Committee

2008 - 2010                             Member of the Bachelor Teaching Committee “Urinary tract and kidney diseases”

2006                                         Fastco Committee (Veterinary Strategy)

2003 - 2005                             Member of the Faculty Council

2003 - 2005                             Member of the Faculty Education Committee

·         Utrecht University

2022 - present                        Member USO (Utrechts Stimuleringsfonds Onderwijs) beoordelingscommissie Utrecht University

2022 - present                        Advocate SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) Utrecht University

2021 - 2022                            Member advisory board Life Long learning Utrecht University

2012                                       Co-founder TAUU (Teaching Academy Utrecht University)

·         National

2023                                       Working group Wellbeing future healthcare professionals NVMO (Dutch Society for  Medical Education)

2023                                       Council of representatives KNMvD

2019 - 2022                            Coach for young veterinarians KNMvD

2012 - 2017                            Member and Chair ‘Permanent Equine Education’ (PEP) Committee GGP KNMvD

2008 - 2021                            Advisor care farm Enghoeve

2008 - 2011                            Chair Equine InterVision Group Midden Nederland

2002                                       Congress Committee KNMvD

2000 - 2002                            Regional Board KNMvD, Utrecht

1998 - 1999                            Regional Board KNMvD (Royal Netherlands Veterinary Association), Zuid Holland

1998                                        Radio veterinarian at “ Radio Flakkee” (weekly veterinary hour)

·         International

2022 - 2025                           Member Final Year Committee Veterinary Schools Council VSC

2019 - present                        Member Havemeyer Equine Asthma Group

2019 - 2025                            Program Director BVISP (Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program)

2018 - 2022                            ECEIM nominations committee

2018 - 2022                            ECEIM Ombudsman

2018 - 2020                            Board of trustees WikiVet Foundation

2017                                       Chair ECEIM Summerschool

2015 - 2017                            Board Member EBVS (European Board of Veterinary Specialization)

2015 - 2017                            Past President ECEIM

2014 - 2019                            Member Congress Committee ECEIM (2015 Chair)

2014 - 2015                            President ECEIM

2013 - 2014                            Vice President ECEIM

2008 - 2013                            Secretary ECEIM (European College of Equine Internal Medicine)

International externships & invited visits:                

• 2018                                       Royal Veterinary College, London, UK & Ghent University, Belgium, Lifelong Learning Project Visit
• 2017                                       Purdue, Indiana, USA, research fellowship
• 2015                                       UC Davis, USA, invited teacher
• 2011                                       Toronto University Canada, educational visit
• 2004 and 2011                       Cornell University USA externship Large Animal Internal Medicine & educational visit