• 1972-1978
  Secondary education, Christelijke Scholengemeenschap, Emmeloord
• 1978-1979
  Chemistry (foundation year), University of Groningen
• 1979-1986
  Medicine, University of Groningen
• 1986-1991
  Internal medicine registrar, Deventer Hospital and Groningen University Medical Centre
• 1991-1994
  Gastroenterology registrar, University Medical Centre Amsterdam (VU location)
• 1995
  Doctorate degree with distinction, ‘The interrelation between Helicobacter pylori, chronic gastritis and gastric cancer’

• 1994-1995
  Consultant and head of gastroenterology outpatient clinic, University Medical Centre Amsterdam (VU location)
• 1995-1997
  Consultant, Infectious Diseases Division, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, United States
• 1997-2000
  Consultant and head of gastroenterology outpatient clinic, University Medical Centre Amsterdam (VU location)
• 2000-2012
  Professor/head of gastroenterology department, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam
• 2006-2012
  Professor/head of internal medicine department, Erasmus Medical Centre
• 2006-2010
  Chair of the dermatology, internal medicine, gastroenterology, lung diseases and rheumatology cluster, Erasmus Medical Centre
• 2010-2012
  Chair of Thema Dijkzigt (encompassing the departments of dermatology, surgery, internal medicine, gastroenterology, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, rheumatology and rehabilitation), Erasmus Medical Centre
• 2010-2012
  Chair of the Medical Executive Board, Erasmus Medical Centre
• 2013 – January 2022
  Chair of the Executive Board, Erasmus Medical Centre
• 10 January 2022
  Appointed Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport in the fourth Rutte government

Ernst Kuipers has served on the boards of several organisations and held many other professional roles within the health and care sector, including:

• April 2021 – January 2022
  Member of the board of the National University Health System in Singapore
• 2016 – January 2022
  Chair of the national network for acute care (LNAZ)
• 2013 – January 2022
  Member of the board of the Dutch Federation of University Medical Centres (NFU)
• 2010-2015
  Member of the group at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) that worked on a population screening programme for bowel cancer and member of the national committee responsible for the roll-out of the programme
• 2003-2014
  Member of the Health Council of the Netherlands