Matthijs Botman completed his medical degree at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) followed by his first international experience during internships in Peru (pediatrics) and Malawi (surgical training of clinical officers). He then specialized as a global health doctor following the unique Dutch postgraduate training program in global health and tropical medicine. When working as a global health doctor in Congo-Brazzaville and Tanzania, he saw the great importance of proper treatment of difficult soft tissue defects (e.g. complex fractures, burns, cleft lip and palate, and repair operations after cancer). After returning to Amsterdam, he started training as a general surgeon, where his special interest in soft tissue reconstructions and hand surgery led to further specialization in plastic, reconstructive, and hand surgery.

His current activities in global health include leading the campaign Into the World to raise awareness for the work of global health doctors from the Netherlands. He also currently works at the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Amsterdam University Medical Center, and at The Hand Clinic. He has been general director of Global Surgery Amsterdam since 2018. Additionally, he is a lecturer in global surgery at the universities in Amsterdam and Leiden. Twice a year, he conducts surgical training missions in Tanzania with Doctors of the World focused on burn care.