In many ways I was lucky, as I was able to avail myself of excellent training in neurology at several state-of-the-art academic centres both in Europe and North America. It became my passion. During my education, I always kept close to my heart the significance that the impact of disease can have on life’s journey. I therefore arrived at a unified holistic form of practising medicine by integrating expertise with empathy and passion for each patient I saw.

 

I had the enormous privilege of working in the tradition of the famous Heidelberg School in Germany, founded by neurologist Victor von Weizsäcker. He is best known for his pioneering work in medical anthropology, putting the patient first and the disease second. Two of his most prominent students, Professor Otto Hallen and Professor Dieter Janz, were my mentors. I am deeply grateful for their teachings. They taught me to listen carefully to everything, even the most awkward, subtle details as the patient opens up and starts to share his or her story. Allowing the time and space for this process facilitates the highly individualized, complex path of diagnostic exploration and ultimately creates trust between physician and patient. This mutual respect will naturally evolve into better understanding of the disease and improvement of the overall outcome.

 

Sir William Osler, the famous Canadian physician and scientist, followed this same philosophy. He focused on the patient first while subsequently evaluating disease concepts. ​

 

It is of paramount importance to me to provide the patient with the best possible quality of treatment; to allow the maximum amount of time possible for us to listen to each other, and for me to provide him or her with the most updated, modern diagnostic and treatment options in concert with my international network of high-profile colleagues.