In this episode of Inside The Shoulder, Dr. Kenneth Cutbush is joined by Dutch shoulder surgeon Freek Hollman, currently practising in the south of the Netherlands.

Freek shares how growing up in a medical family with a surgeon father and a brother in medicine, shaped his early path, and how a third-year internship changed everything after being involved in an AC joint reconstruction. That moment sparked his passion for orthopaedics and ultimately led him to focus on shoulder surgery.

He discusses why the shoulder’s complexity continues to motivate him, how every structure must work together for function of the arm and hand, and why the diversity of shoulder surgery is so rewarding. Freek also explains what it really takes to become a surgeon in the Netherlands, the highly competitive training pathway, and the reality that many graduates struggle to secure surgical positions.

The conversation explores his upbringing, family life, and the key advice he would offer to anyone considering a future in orthopaedic and shoulder surgery.