Rachel Dijkstra-Eijkemans completed a bachelor’s law degree (cum laude) at Utrecht Law College and the Legal Research Master, both at Utrecht University. She continued working at Utrecht University as a junior-researcher and junior-lecturer at the department of Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Legal Theory. She was part of a European research collaboration looking at the quality of the administration of justice using qualitative research methods. As a junior-teacher she was elected as teacher-talent of the year within the Law department. 

Rachel continued her work as a PhD candidate at Tilburg University, combining disciplines and interdisciplinary research methods at Tilburg’s victimology institute INTERVICT. Her interest in an interdisciplinary approach combined with an affinity for the field of health care led to the present dissertation on the experiences of patients, next of kin, and professionals with procedures in the aftermath of health care incidents. While writing her PhD, Rachel participated in the THRIVE institute valorization program and collaborated with researchers on several research projects at the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (Nivel). 

While finishing her dissertation, Rachel started working at the Molengraaff Institute for Private Law at Utrecht University as a lecturer to continue teaching and to further explore her academic interests at the crossroads of private law and victimology as an Assistant Professor. She is also an editorial member of the journal Recht der Werkelijkheid.