St. Maarten’s Franshelis Garcia has earned her PhD degree from Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands after successfully defending a doctoral thesis focused on obesity stigma and metabolic and bariatric surgery.
Garcia, a 2007 graduate of Milton Peters College’s VWO programme, moved to the Netherlands at age 18 and later earned a Master’s degree in Clinical and Health Psychology from Utrecht University.
Her PhD research examined how people with obesity, including those who undergo bariatric surgery, are viewed by the public, healthcare professionals and patients themselves.
The study found that negative assumptions about obesity remain widespread and can influence how patients are treated and supported.
The research also has relevance for St. Maarten, where recent health data cited in the report shows high levels of overweight and obesity among adults.
Garcia began her PhD in 2020 after receiving a competitive WASS-funded grant.
Her successful defense marks a major academic milestone celebrated by family and friends in both St. Maarten and the Netherlands.