Dr. Tünde Györgyi has been with FirstMed as an internist and general practitioner since the beginning. In our discussion, she shares insights from her professional journey, highlighting the rewards and challenges of medicine, the essential qualities of a doctor, and her commitment to a holistic approach to health.
Why did you become a doctor?
My father suffered from poliomyelitis just before I was born; he became paralyzed from the waist down, so I lived all my life with an invalid father. Even when I was little, I assisted him with many things, so it is no surprise that I wanted to be a doctor to help sick people. At the time, it wasn’t an instinctive decision-making, but it’s clear that if I am gifted in any way, it is to listen to people. Later, I learned I like to analyze problems, sort out diagnostics, and advise with care.
Why did you choose your specialty?
Internal medicine is the area where analytic thinking is essential. That is one thing that I enjoy very much.
What are the good points of being a doctor? And the bad ones?
For me, all of the above. In addition, I feel wonderful seeing that I can ease people’s anxieties by making the correct diagnosis and giving proper explanations. I feel honored by people’s trust and do my best to earn it.
The bad ones are the administrative duties and the stress involved if the patient is late, and I need to rush to take care of them.
What makes FirstMed different from other places where you have practiced medicine?
I have been with FirstMed for nearly 22 years. Before that, I practiced in the US. I found a similar style in FirstMed to that in the US. Here, doctors have enough time to get information from the patient, do examinations, diagnostics, and conclude.
In Hungary, patients are sent to various specialists, and the family doctor rarely has time to put the pieces together, especially when it gets complicated. Here, at FirsMed, the GP sees the patient regularly, analyses the reports, and helps to orient patients to the next step.
What do you like most about practicing medicine at FirstMed?
We have different annual plans that include all the basic and complex diagnostics, general care, and specialist checkups. From these, everyone can choose what best meets their health needs. Further, our ability to provide direct billing to various insurance providers allows me to provide continuous care for people. Often, couples and their children, when they reach the age of 18, choose me to be their doctor. Getting to know and being able to help whole families in the long term gives great satisfaction.
However, we regularly see individuals who are temporarily staying in Hungary and unfamiliar with healthcare in a foreign country: this is a stressful situation. If a person like that finds us, here every staff member speaks English and is empathetic toward people with diverse backgrounds, which gives them peace of mind.
At the clinic, the FirstMed staff is very supportive of each other and toward patients, creating a pleasant work environment.
What do you consider when looking for a doctor for yourself or a family member?
High level of knowledge and experience, empathy, listening ability, and willingness to answer questions.
Finally, what do you recommend to individual patients to stay as healthy as possible?
I believe in the holistic health approach: caring for our body, soul, and spirit are all important, as they interact with each other. It will affect the other two if we are not well in one area. One example is the increasing frequency of psychosomatic illnesses.
We have a lot of knowledge on how we should take care of our body (even if we don’t always do it), e.g. regular exercise, healthy diet, and lately, we have learned about the importance of good hygiene and to protect ourselves (and others) with a mask on our face, taking vitamin D, C, and zinc.
It is equally important to take care of our souls. Take time in the evening to review that day’s thoughts, emotions, and actions. Have we suppressed any feelings? Are we still angry at someone? Can we forgive them? What are we grateful for? What do you think we should do differently next time? Meditating on these issues can help us release much tension, free ourselves from the stress that would otherwise hurt us.
Spiritual life is a sensitive area for many people. On the other hand, when we are in a good mood, we often say we are in „good spirits”. So there is some correlation, isn’t there? I encourage everyone to explore their spiritual self and learn about it. I learned about different spiritual practices, but believing and praying to God daily helps me grow, deal with stress, and keep me well. I also know that I will not have a healthy body, and live forever, but during my life, faith has given me tremendous strength. I recommend exploring this area to everyone.
Thank you, Dr. Györgyi, for the excellent interview.
Contact us to book an appointment with Dr. Tünde Györgyi.
Published on: Feb 21, 2021