Woman and Job: Neeltje Ten Bosch
If you find one profession just a bit too dry and wish for a bit more depth in the other, then there’s only one thing to do: you choose both. Neeltje Ten Bosch studied medicine and graduated as a general practitioner. Two days a week she works in that capacity and the rest of the week she makes women even more beautiful with her treatments at Doctors at Soap.
Neeltje, you treated me a week and a half ago and I was impressed by what you did (more on that later, dear people) and by you. So beautiful and skilled, you had to be in this column. Especially because you shape both your loves in such a special way. You show that you don’t have to bend to your job, but that you can also turn it around. How did that come about?
Did you always know you would work in the medical field?
‘I grew up in a family that worked in the medical world. My father was a physiotherapist and had a practice at home, my sister has her own business in healthcare, and my brother is also a doctor. Furthermore, we were a family that did a lot of sports, so you are automatically also very much involved with health. Yet becoming a doctor was not a passion I had from childhood. It actually grew more over the years.
As a small child, I quickly said that I wanted to be a hairdresser or ‘makeup artist’ (the beauty part has always been in me). The whole family often had to pay for it. Later, that changed to wanting to become a doctor, but that was really only from halfway through high school.’
This column aims to inspire young women in finding a job and to show them what the possibilities are.
How many hours do you work?
‘36 hours.’
Did you think as a little girl that this would be your profession?
‘Yes and no. No one in my environment is surprised that I end up as a cosmetic doctor. As a little girl, I really thought I would become a ‘makeup artist’ or hairdresser. As a teenager, I knew that this was no longer going to happen, but what then? I have always been a huge indecisive person. That’s why I chose the Nature & Health package with economics in high school, so I could still go in all directions. Ultimately, you really have to make a choice at 18, so I decided to enroll in medical school. If I were to be rejected, then it would be psychology or criminology. Fortunately, I was accepted, and throughout my entire study, my interest remained greatest in the field of skin (dermatology) and minor surgical procedures. After my medical training, I worked in surgery and dermatology. Both appealed to me a lot, but I ultimately didn’t see myself working my whole life in either. I wanted more variety and to exercise my passion for cosmetics more. I chose the combination of general practitioner and cosmetic doctor. I find the variety within these two fields amazing. What I love about being a general practitioner is the satisfaction I get from helping people with their health needs. It’s a very broad palette of patient care, where you are close to the patient and can mean a lot to them, both medically and in many other areas.
At Doctors at Soap, I find satisfaction in making people happy and more beautiful and the positive vibe that is always present in the clinic and with the people. You can make someone incredibly happy with small or large treatments or by (partially) removing someone’s insecurities. It’s incredibly rewarding work and gives a lot of satisfaction in another way.’
What education have you followed and did you benefit from it?
‘I followed the medical training. This training is necessary to become a general practitioner, and only with that can you then further specialize, in my case as a general practitioner and cosmetic doctor.’
What do you wear on a workday?
‘I often wear casual clothing. That means, for example, nice sneakers and pants with a top. I actually never wear a skirt or dress. On some days, I do wear heels.’
Is there a difference in how you dress on your ‘general practitioner days’ and your days at Doctors at Soap?
‘At Doctors at Soap, I wear a white coat, but I also find it important to look good and well-groomed otherwise. In the general practice, I don’t wear a white coat and try to dress more neutrally. I make sure that I look representative and approachable in both settings.’
What advice would you give your younger self?
‘Follow your heart and don’t pay too much attention to what others think. Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by other people’s opinions. I have faced choices in the past where I was about to make a decision that would make me less happy and was too focused on others. Ultimately, I followed my intuition and quickly felt immense relief and a happier life. Life goes as it goes; you can never fully plan it in advance. Seize the beautiful challenges in life when they come your way and when you feel good about them. And as you beautifully put it: you don’t have to bend to your job, but try to turn it around.’
Are you the type that separates work and private life or does everything flow together?
‘This varies greatly by field. I really want to keep my work as a general practitioner separate from my private life. You won’t see me being a general practitioner in my own living environment, where I frequently run into my patients. At Doctors at Soap, I don’t mind at all and actually enjoy running into my clients. I have a very different relationship with my clients at Soap than with my patients as a general practitioner. At Soap, I sometimes talk to clients for an hour during a treatment and see many clients every two to three months. As a general practitioner, I feel more of a doctor-patient relationship. The contacts are more fleeting and are more about the illnesses/complaints of the patients.’
Always reachable or type ‘two phones and Monday you’re the first’?
‘Always reachable. I have only one phone and regularly give my number to my clients at Doctors at Soap. Clients can message/call me at any time. There has never been any abuse of this. I like to be easily approachable for my clients.
In the general practice, I find this a different story. That also has to do with the responsibility you carry and that you cannot provide good care from a distance. I think patients can be helped faster and therefore better at the out-of-hours general practitioner service.’
Do you think about perfume and hairstyle? I can imagine that you take into account the role you fulfill that day and perhaps also don’t want to overshadow your patients and clients.
‘I find it important that you come across as well-groomed and fresh. Most of the time, I have my hair (half) up. Also during procedures or treatments, it is important for hygiene to have my hair up. I do put on perfume every morning after showering, but not in large quantities.’
We know it’s true: talking about money is not chic, but it’s nice for the next generation to know what this work roughly pays. So can you give a rough indication of which segment you are in? Are we above or below the Balkenende norm?
‘Below it.’
And another point of attention: being a woman. Have you experienced a glass ceiling? The idea that you had to prove yourself more?
‘Fortunately, I haven’t experienced that so far. In fact, when I applied for surgery and there was a choice between a man with a (in my opinion) better CV and me, the choice fell on me. Totally unexpected, but I was of course very happy. Fortunately, I haven’t experienced much more.’
Has there been a moment in your career that has been decisive for your career? Where you were quite proud of in hindsight? I once got offered the job of editor-in-chief at Marie Claire, I said that I only wanted to become editor-in-chief, and then they asked me for that job. Lesson learned: say what you want and occasionally stand your ground.
‘The moment I made the choice to go for general practitioner and cosmetic doctor instead of dermatology. I was given the opportunity to promote at Erasmus MC in the dermatology department. You are also immediately faced with the choice to choose a career in dermatology. No matter how difficult I found the choice because it felt like a huge opportunity, I chose what my passion lies in: cosmetics and general practitioner care. Once I made the choice, I felt immense relief. I am proud that I followed my intuition then.’
