Dr. Veronika Komka began her studies at the Medical School in Pécs in 2001 and graduated in 2007. She remembers her teachers and mentors with gratitude and affection. They not only passed on their knowledge and offered her professional advice and guidance but also stood by her during her more difficult periods in life. She considers the University of Pécs Clinical Centre 2nd Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Diabetology Centre her alma mater. This was where she began her residency training and later worked as an intern. She moved to Israel with her husband in 2011 for family reasons; her husband had also graduated from the Medical School in Pécs, from the English-language programme. They eventually decided to build their life there. Now working as a general practitioner with a background in internal medicine, she has never forgotten her hometown or her former teachers and fellow students: she regularly returns to Pécs for alumni events and is also actively involved in organising them.
Written by Rita Schweier
- What was it like to be a university student in your hometown?
- At the time, there were fewer students because the German-language programme did not yet exist, and the English-language programme also had considerably fewer students. Everyone could feel at home at the university because we were surrounded by familiar faces. We also felt that the city of Pécs itself, along with the campus, belonged to us, and I felt this particularly strongly, as it is my hometown.
- Were there any teachers who had a great influence on you?
- Yes, several. Dr. Matild Schmelczer at the 2nd Department of Internal Medicine made the first really deep impression on me during our third-year summer practice in internal medicine. With the patience of an angel, she patiently corrected our somewhat hesitant attempts at taking patient histories. She always made the effort of repeatedly taking us along with her so that we could refine our physical examination skills, and she also helped us gain confidence in the difficult task of palpating the liver and spleen. She always had time and a kind word for her patients, their relatives, and her colleagues. She brought her characteristic dry but courteous humour to the conversations that took place in the doctors’ room.
Dr. Zoltán Harmat, a senior radiologist, was also an excellent teacher. He spoke with incredible enthusiasm, which had a great effect on us and made us develop an interest in radiology as well. When we were taking our exams, he was nervous for us too, and between two interventional procedures, he would even come out to see us and find out how we were doing. I was also deeply impressed by the legendary lectures of Professor Judit Nagy, and I have not forgotten our preclinical teachers either. As a fifth-year student participating in the Undergraduate Research Society (TDK), Professor Andrea Tamás introduced me to the world of anatomy. We saw her not only as a teacher, but also as a mentor and a friend. Dr. Valéria Nagyné Bíró awakened our interest and enthusiasm for pathophysiology, while Dr. Éva Gömöri opened the world of pathology to us.
- Do you still keep in touch with your former teachers?
- Unfortunately, this has become difficult, partly because several of them passed away.
- Your regular alumni events suggest that you have maintained close relationships with your former fellow students, and you also play an active role in organising these events.
- That is true. Lifelong friendships were formed during our university years, and it is important to maintain and nurture them. It is a wonderful feeling to return home and know that, alongside our family, our friends are also waiting for us and always make time for us. We even organise our holidays together. Through my husband, who was a student in the English-language programme, we are able to meet up with one another in many different countries around the world.
We actually became involved with the alumni community through Klára Somodi, who introduced us to this wonderful opportunity. The programmes give us a chance to renew friendships that may have faded somewhat due to our workload, and they also provide an opportunity for current students to gain some insight into their future.
- Was it during the internal medicine practice you mentioned earlier that you decided to pursue this profession?
- The practice played a major role in making me fall in love with the field, but it was not until my sixth year that I became certain that I wanted to become an internist. Radiology was there as a plan B, in case I was not admitted to the internal medicine training programme.
- Who were your mentors at the beginning of your career, and what challenges did you face?
- My alma mater was the 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, where I began my residency training and later also worked as an intern. In one way or another, every member of the department was my mentor, each in their own field. I had the opportunity to work under the guidance of excellent specialists, alongside outstanding interns, and to learn practical and manual skills from an exceptional nursing team. I also owe a great deal to Katalin Nagy Dezsőné, the department’s legendary administrator, who taught me to be organised with administrative work. There was always someone who would support me when I felt discouraged. I will never forget how Professor Judit Nagy, who was already retired at the time, sometimes stopped us in the corridor when she saw that we were exhausted, and invited us into her office, sit us down, and talk to us over a cup of tea. Professor István Wittman also oversaw our training and continued to support me even after I left the department. I learned from some of the best specialists: Dr. Tibor Kovács, Dr. István Pintér, Dr. Zoltán Wágner, Dr. Balázs Sági, Dr. György Fábián, and I also had the opportunity to work as an intern alongside Dr. Gergő Molnár.
- When and how did you meet your husband?
- In my fifth year, through a friend.
- Did his Israeli background play a role in your decision to build your life there?
- We came to Israel for one year in 2011 for family reasons. Since the circumstances that had brought us here had not been resolved after a year, we changed our plans and eventually decided to stay.
- Was it difficult to leave your homeland?
- Yes, very much so, even though I spoke German and English well. I had always imagined my future at home. I still get homesick quite often, even though we have been living in Israel for 15 years. I have also learned Hebrew. This is where I live and feel at home, but Hungary is my home.
- You have three children. How old are they?
- Our son Dani is 11, our son Gál is 7, and our daughter Elinor is 5 years old. We did not decide in advance how many children we would have. After our two boys, we decided to give a little girl a chance as well—and we succeeded.
.jpg)
- What languages do your children speak?
- All three of them are bilingual, and Dani speaks English fluently as well. They switch between languages effortlessly, depending on their surroundings.
- What field does your husband work in?
- He is a specialist in adult, child, and adolescent psychiatry as well, and currently works as a child and adolescent psychiatrist. He is the head of the outpatient service for children with attention disorders at Sheba Medical Center Tel HaShomer, the largest hospital in the Middle East, and he is also the deputy director of the outpatient child psychiatry service.
- Do you work as an internist?
- After completing my specialist examination in internal medicine, I took over my father-in-law’s practice as a general practitioner.
- How different are the conditions, patient population, and healthcare system there compared with Hungary?
- Healthcare is provided through two larger and two smaller health insurance companies in Israel. I have a contract with one of the larger providers, which delivers outpatient care through private practices run by self-employed physicians. I am proud that I received an “Excellent Physician” award from this health insurance provider last year. There is not a major difference in terms of the patients themselves, but there are differences in the diseases we encounter, as we also have to take into account diseases and infections characteristic of the Middle East, since Israel is a country of immigrants.
- Was it difficult to adapt to life there?
- Yes, it was quite difficult. People here are very direct and kind, but they can also be quick-tempered, and they tend to be quite laid-back about keeping appointments. However, when there is a problem, they leave everything behind and help, even complete strangers.
- Your medical career must be challenging as a mother.
- It certainly is. The most difficult period was when I was working as an intern, and I was also on call. The on-call duties here are way more demanding than they are at home. Even when I came home exhausted, I could not rest because my little son could hardly wait to make up for the time I had been away. Working as a general practitioner is easier, although afternoon and evening consultations can still be challenging.
- Do you have any professional collaborations with your former colleagues in internal medicine in Pécs?
- I have mostly personal relationships. For example, I regularly correspond with Professor Gergő Molnár, particularly around the holidays. Whenever I am at home, I also visit the department.
- Are there other Hungarian doctors working in Israel?
- Yes, although they tend to belong to the older generation, since young doctors do not really come here.
- How often do you visit Hungary?
- At least twice a year, although sometimes we come three times to visit my mother and my sibling. We are always excited to come home with the children. One of our dreams is that, when we retire, my husband and I will spend half of each year in Hungary.
Photos:
Dr Veronika Komka