Political career

Since December 2013: Federal Minister of Defence

2009 – 2013: Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs

Since October 2009: Member of the German Bundestag

2005 – 2009: Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth

Since December 2004: Member of the Presidium of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) of Germany

March 2003 to November 2005: Minister for Social Affairs, Women, Family Affairs and Health in Lower Saxony

2003 – 2005: Member of the CDU in the State Assembly of Lower Saxony

2001 – 2004: Various local political positions in the region of Hanover

1999: Member of the Physicians’ Working Group of the CDU of Lower Saxony

Since 1990: Member of the CDU 

Professional and academic career

1998 – 2002: Member of the academic staff, Department of Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health System Research, Hanover Medical School (Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, MHH)

1995: Market analysis, Stanford Health Services Hospital Administration

1993: Auditing guest: Graduate School of Business, Stanford University

1992 – 1996: Lived in Stanford, California, USA

1988 – 1992: Assistant physician, Women’s Clinic, Hanover Medical School