Dr. Ionut Gobej – Head Neurosurgeon
Dr. Ionuț Gobej
- head neurosurgeon
Profile:
During 2009-2013 I was a resident at renowned clinics in France:
- Lyon Neurology Hospital, France (General Neurosurgery, Vascular Surgery, Spinal Surgery)
- Regional University Centre „La Timone”, Marseille, France (Functional Neurosurgery and Gamma Knife)
- Nord Hospital, Marseille, France (Skull Base Tumours)
- Foch Hospital, Paris, France (Skull Base Tumours, Pituitary Tumours, Vascular Neurosurgery)
EDUCATION
October 2013
Specialist Exam in Neurosurgery
November 2010 – November 2013
Neurosurgery Intern, “Hôpital Foch”, Suresnes, Paris, France
May 2010 – October 2010
Neurosurgery Intern, “Hôpital Nord”, Marseille, France
November 2009 – April 2010
Neurosurgery Intern, “Hôpital de la Timone”, Marseille, France (Unité de Neurochirurgie fonctionnelle, stéréotaxique et gamma knife)
May 2009 – October 2009
Neurosurgery Intern, “Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer”, Unité 200
October 2007 – May 2009
Intern, “M. S. Curie” Hospital, Bucharest, Romania (Pediatric Neurosurgery)
2000 – 2006
Student, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila”, Timișoara, Romania
EXPERIENCE
2017 – Present
Co-founder and Head Neurosurgeon – “NeuroHope”, Bucharest, Romania
March 2014 – Present
Head Paediatric Neurosurgeon – “M. S. Curie” Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
February 2014 – Present
Head Neurosurgeon – “Regina Maria” Clinic, Romania
Find out more about Dr. Ionuț Gobej:
His mentality of "it goes like this" must be corrected
No matter how conscientious, every man tends to be superficial. The Romanian mentality must be corrected. Ever since I started doing practicing this profession, I have imposed a discipline upon myself, which became second nature over time. Then I imposed something else: how to do each surgery a little better than the last one. To add value, that was my goal. I always ask for more from myself. You have to be critical of yourself at all times in this profession. This is the only way we can evolve, professionally and humanly.
Being a good neurosurgeon means treating everyone who can stand a chance at the highest standard and treating them responsibly. I’m a stubborn man in my profession. If I don’t have the technology and everything else I require, I don’t address the pathology. Psychologically, I don’t want to accept that I have a patient in front of me and that I can’t offer him the right solution, which would maximize his chances. We do not remember patients who are doing well, but those who are doing badly. I am not willing to compromise on quality! It is in the best interest for my own mental health to know that I have done the best I could for my patient.
When I started my career, I asked myself what I can do to improve myself both professionally and as a human being. I felt that the Romanian system, at least when I was a beginner, did not offer me what I thought other states could provide. In Bucharest there were about 6-7 neurology centers. I changed them all. Although there were places where I learned things, I realized that I could not practice enough in order to improve the way I wanted. In France I followed the same path, I changed 4 places. One selection criterion was to cover as many pathologies as possible. Every step I took was for the better in my professional development.
I had the opportunity to train in the French medical system, which is very well developed. Some aspects were related to organising, others – to a very good communication between doctors. It’s much better funded, but I don’t think funding is the most important thing. The system is built so that senior doctors have the interest and dedication needed in order to pass the proverbial “torch” on to the young resident as well as possible, so as to delegate the tasks as well as possible. A senior resident is able to do 90% of the medical activity in a hospital, so that young people can progress and become self-employed. They are able to address almost every pathology from their specialties.
The fact that I returned to Romania also started from the desire to perform
I am never satisfied with myself. No system is perfect. The system that suffers the most from the lack of optimized services is the Romanian health system. It was an emotional decision, but I also had a reasoning: I felt that it could add value to this place. Although I do not consider myself being a patriot, this is still the country where I grew up. I learned that, even with its shortcomings, it is a good place to build upon, to bring things up to a level consistent with the XXI Century.
I had the following perception: it is a frustrating psychological matter not to be able to provide quality services to a patient, at the standard at which neurosurgery is practiced today. It is also a matter of mental health: I was not willing to compromise on the quality of the medical act. We tried to form a successful mix of our knowledge and the most advanced technology, following the quality of the medical act. No compromise! We cannot compromise on the standards of the medical service provided.
The Neurohope Clinic is an integrated center, where minimally invasive surgery can be performed to the highest European standards. If these centers of excellence will develop and multiply, while also pressuring the public health system, the quality of the medical act will improve.
Our profession also has a mentoring side to it. This job is passed on from people who know to people who are learning. I had the chance study under exceptional teachers, who always expressed their joy when they were able to convey a piece of information on to me. I am always impressed that, when I go to France, my former teachers introduce me: “Look, he was my resident”. A teacher must convey, but more than that, be happy when a student has made progress. I had the chance to work alongside mentors of incredible patience, to whom I owe what I am today, professionally and humanly.
I had the chance to have mentors by my side for hours, to whom I owe what I am today, professionally and humanly.
One of our projects is passing on the knowledge and helping young people gain access to the field of neuroscience. We welcome the chance to pass on what we have learned to young neurosurgeons. We want to take this opportunity to educate young people in our team. Physicians would develop exceptionally in these environments, exposed to all the advances in the field. Young doctors are going through an energy consuming struggle. Things are done slowly and through the personal effort of each one.
The empathy of the medical staff sometimes matters more than the strictly medical service
One important aspect of medicine: the empathy of the medical staff sometimes matters more than the medical service itself. We are social people, we need attention, personalized care. In the 21st century, also known as “the century of speed”, these aspects are often ignored. In our team we place great value on communication, as a basis for a good doctor-patient relationship.
Improving our relationship with patients who have questions, ambiguities, fears is also very important. This added value of communication means that the patient, at the end of the therapeutic process, is satisfied with this experience. We strive to have a fair, honest and empathetic attitude. We try to understand people and their suffering.
We are very confident that what we have built here, the Neurohope Clinic, represents the project through which we were able to fulfill these professional objectives. In the Neurohope Clinic we brought our experience from the big European neurosurgery centers and we built a top tier neurosurgery center, putting the interest of our patients at the top of the decision pyramid.
