From India to the Netherlands: how Ashy Moideen found her calling in occupational health

Ashy Moideen is a case manager at Capability and is working towards her goal of becoming an occupational physician. When she was practising as a junior doctor in India, she had never even heard of occupational medicine. “In India, the whole concept simply doesn’t exist,” she explains. “Even in the UK, where I worked later on, occupational health isn’t a separate specialism. It was only in the Netherlands that I discovered this field — and I was instantly intrigued.”

Turning challenge into opportunity

Moving to the Netherlands wasn’t easy. “When my partner got a job here and we relocated from the UK, I quickly realised that without mastering the language, I couldn’t work as a doctor. I spent months intensively studying Dutch, all the way up to C1 level. It was tough, but I knew: if I want to participate, I need to truly connect with people.”

Ashy brings that same determination to her work at Capability. “Because my BIG registration is still being processed — and there’s a long waiting time for foreign-trained doctors — I couldn’t start as an occupational physician right away. Capability offered me the opportunity to begin as a case manager. That felt like the perfect first step towards my goal: to eventually follow the training to become an occupational physician.”

Seeing the person behind the absence

The shift from clinical medicine to absence management was bigger than Ashy expected. “In India and the UK, my focus was mainly on medical symptoms — prescribing medication, recommending surgery, treating illnesses. Here, I’ve learned to take a broader view. Not just the diagnosis, but the person behind it. What’s going on in their work or personal life? What adjustments could really help them move forward? It’s a whole new perspective, zooming in on the root causes — and I love it.”

She gives an example: “In a clinic, I would have prescribed medication or referred a patient with carpal tunnel syndrome for surgery. Now I dig deeper: what’s causing the symptoms? Is it repetitive motion at work? Can that be changed? And what can someone still do? That’s the essence: not just fighting the complaint, but removing the cause. To me, that feels like real medicine.”

Learning and growing together

What Ashy appreciates most about working at Capability is the culture. “There’s no hierarchy. In India and the UK, I often felt hesitant to ask senior doctors questions. Here, there’s so much openness. If I see a company doctor is ‘green’ on Teams, I can just give them a call. I feel heard and supported — and that gives me space to grow.”

She plans to make full use of that space. Her goal is clear: as soon as her BIG registration is finalised, she’ll start the Occupational Health Traineeship at Capability. “What really appeals to me here is the holistic approach. We don’t just look at symptoms — we see the whole person: their job, home life, mental load. It’s not just about being ill or recovered, it’s about long-term employability and job satisfaction. That’s exactly how I want to work as a doctor — and exactly why I want to grow in this field.”

Focus on possibilities

For Ashy, her story carries one key message: “Don’t wait for everything to be perfect. There are always opportunities to keep growing. Capability gave me that chance, and I’ve learned that it really helps to focus on what is possible. That’s what I want to share with other young doctors and case managers: you’re capable of more than you think — if you’re willing to take that first step.”

Working with Care & Action

At Capability, everything revolves around Care & Action: really listening to people and their stories, then quickly translating that into practical steps that make a difference. Ashy’s story shows just how valuable that is — for employees, employers, and for you as a professional. Fancy joining a team where humanity and decisiveness go hand in hand? Check out our vacancies and discover how you can make a difference with Capability.