{"id":29233,"date":"2021-12-23T06:00:55","date_gmt":"2021-12-23T05:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/?p=29233"},"modified":"2022-10-17T09:01:39","modified_gmt":"2022-10-17T07:01:39","slug":"healing-with-heart-and-soul-book-on-dr-bela-merkelys-career-published","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/2021\/12\/healing-with-heart-and-soul-book-on-dr-bela-merkelys-career-published\/","title":{"rendered":"Healing with Heart and Soul \u2013 book on Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely\u2019s career published"},"content":{"rendered":"
The book \u201eHealing with Heart and Soul\u201d was published within the series \u201eHungarian Scholars\u201d. It depicts the career of Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely, Rector of Semmelweis University, Director of the V\u00e1rosmajor Heart and Vascular Center, with a personal touch. At the book presentation, Dr. L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Borhy, Rector of E\u00f6tv\u00f6s Lor\u00e1nd University (ELTE) and Dr. P\u00e9ter S\u00f3tonyi, Rector of the University of Veterinary Medicine gave a laudation, which was followed by a roundtable discussion with Dr. Tam\u00e1s Farag\u00f3, the Olympic champion who wrote the preface of the book. At the presentation, Rector Merkely spoke about the importance of his roots and also about the balance between retrospection and looking ahead.<\/div>\n

The publication of the book was supported by <\/span>the Lajos Batthy\u00e1ny Foundation,\u00a0which was established by Prime Minister J\u00f3zsef Antall in 1991, so currently celebrating its 30th anniversary. Professor Tam\u00e1s Dezs\u0151, President of the Foundation introduced the institution briefly in his welcome speech, then pointed out the fact that in the past two years of the epidemic, life sciences and medicine gained even more importance, playing a key role in the management and support of social behavior. He also thanked Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely and the entire Hungarian medical community for their heroic accomplishments.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>In the absence of Erzs\u00e9bet \u00c9zsi\u00e1s, author of the book \u201cHealing with Heart and Soul\u201d, Lili Ratkovics interpreted her thoughts. According to the writer, conversations began with Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely in January 2021, during the second wave of the epidemic. At first, they took place at the Rector’s Office in \u00dcll\u0151i Street, then at the Heart and Vascular Centre in V\u00e1rosmajor. The latter location is said to be the second home of the book\u2019s main character, where the staff described him as a strict but fair and helpful leader. \u201eThe book portrays an interesting life and a large-scale professional career, through which readers can get to know a person who is dedicated to his profession and obsessed with cardiology; someone who pours his heart into his work, saving human lives,\u201d the author said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The book cover was designed by Istv\u00e1n Madarassy, a Kossuth Prize winner goldsmith and sculptor. In his speech, he highlighted that the book was the 10th volume published by Lexika Publishing House in the \u201eHungarian Scholars\u201d series. During the design process, he sought to harmonize the content with the exterior. \u201eThat is why the focus was held on the beautiful wrought iron entrance of the Clinic in V\u00e1rosmajor, the protagonist’s second home; the gate is shown to be kept by his operating hand, with heart and soul,\u201d said the artist, sharing an insight into the thought behind the cover.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201eBesides Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely\u2019s career, this book represents the human side of a scholarly teacher, university leader and public figure, set in a unique environment as a valued member of the community\u201d, said Dr. L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Borhy, Rector of E\u00f6tv\u00f6s Lor\u00e1nd University (ELTE). \u201eWhoever reads the book, can find out what background it takes for someone to achieve such success,\u201d he added in his laudation. Referring to the ancient traditions of commemoration, the Rector of ELTE spoke in detail about the origins of exhibiting a career in the form of a book, calling it a homage, a retrospection and also a model. He implied that reading the book, one gets to learn what could serve as an example for fresh graduates. \u201eIn case of Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely, family should be mentioned in the first place, but in addition to the motivation received from them, the place where he started his graduate studies, Semmelweis University itself is also very important; according to the book, he was admitted to the institution right away,\u201d he said. Dr. L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Borhy highlighted the Heidelberg period as well, which was an important scientific medium due to the inspiration received there. Finally, the Rector emphasized the fact that Dr. Merkely was able to pursue his career in one workplace – he entered the Clinic in V\u00e1rosmajor for the first time in 1991.<\/p>\n

\n

The respect for ancestors is reflected in the book as well, according to the rector. A portrait of his role model, Dr. Zolt\u00e1n Szab\u00f3 hangs on the wall of B\u00e9la Merkely’s office to this day, not to mention his tutor, Dr. S\u00e1ndor Juh\u00e1sz-Nagy, who is also highly esteemed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dr. L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Borhy reminded the audience that Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely was the 56th rector of Semmelweis University and the second in his family to hold such a position. His great predecessor, J\u00f3zsef Gal\u00e1ntai Fodor, the first professor of public health was his great great grand uncle, who served as an exemplar in the fight against the epidemic, Dr. Borhy pointed out. The Rector of E\u00f6tv\u00f6s Lor\u00e1nd University presented Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely with a commemorative medal of J\u00f3zsef Fodor from his own collection, issued by the Hungarian National Bank in the 1970s.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>In his laudation, Dr. P\u00e9ter S\u00f3tonyi, Rector of the University of Veterinary Medicine explained that he had met Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely 10 years ago, when he underwent a cardiac catheter surgery executed by him. \u201eThe Rector of Semmelweis University heals patients not only with heart and soul, but also with passion and the power of science, which helped him to build the Heart and Vascular Centre in V\u00e1rosmajor,\u201d he pointed out. When Dr. S\u00f3tonyi was a patient at the Clinic, he himself witnessed that Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely visited the intensive care unit even on a Sunday evening. \u201cIt is fascinating to listen to him talking about his family, his past, not to mention his work pace and capacity<\/span>. Even though he is a rector, he operates to this day, and adheres to the principle that medical training can only be real next to a sickbed – and well, this is the case, both professionally and from a human point of view. The book is a wonderful example of belonging, family, vocation, healing and people,\u201d said Dr. P\u00e9ter S\u00f3tonyi. He emphasized that Hungarian science, medicine and the nation\u2019s population owed a lot to Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely, and that we should be grateful to him for leading the fight against the epidemic as well. \u201eI am proud that in Hungary, he has been awarded an honorary doctorate for the first time at the University of Veterinary Medicine,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>In his speech, Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely quoted Pope Francis saying, “Progress begins with a return to our roots.” What the Rector considers the most important message of the book is to have the right balance between retrospection and looking forward. Along this thought, he recalled the figure of his grandmother, who died at the age of 102, and was the main cohesive force of the family. He also spoke about the family home created by her great grandparents, which is still the place of farewell and return. He expressed his gratitude for the invitation to create this book, and for the persistent work of Erzs\u00e9bet \u00c9zsi\u00e1s, emphasizing that the publication embodied a lasting memory of the roots that are important to him, and determined what kind of doctor and person he became. As he said, the advice of his grandfather, Dr. Kereszt\u00e9ly Merkel defined the conversations with his patients and also the conduct of surgeries to this day. According to him, “If you are about to approach a patient, put yourself in comfort. Prepare yourself completely, turning all your attention to the cause!” He underlined that besides his grandfather and father-in-law, Dr. G\u00e9za Tasn\u00e1di, his great grand uncle, J\u00f3zsef Fodor also influenced him greatly. He was a<\/span> pioneer of public health and epidemiology in Hungary and the former Rector of the University of Pest, whose memory was highly esteemed in the Merkely family since his childhood.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

He also explained that in addition to his ancestors, he was very proud of his children. His daughter, Petra is currently working in a COVID department as a gynecologist; her older son, Gerg\u0151 is researching orthopedics at Harvard University, and his younger son, Marci is in primary school at the moment, but will surely find his way in life, too. \u201cWe own the roots and wings from our grandparents and parents, therefore we were able to pass these on to the children,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

According to him, sport has been a part of his life since he was 3 years old, and keeping fit is an essential part of his routine to this day. Besides his family, Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely is most proud of the Heart and Vascular Centre in V\u00e1rosmajor, which he considers to be his second home. By the time he entered the Clinic 30 years ago, only four cardiologists worked at the institution. \u201eSince then, cardiology has evolved a lot; thankfully, these days we are able to implement the motto of the Mayo Clinic as well. Patients\u2019 interests come first, their full recovery is paramount \u2013 and in order to achieve that, we have everything in our power,\u201d he said. Dr. Merkely also remembered his most significant mentors, Dr. Zolt\u00e1n Szab\u00f3 and Dr. S\u00e1ndor Juh\u00e1sz-Nagy.<\/p>\n

\n
Interview with Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely on the publication of \u201eHealing with Heart and Soul\u201d<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What would you tell prospective readers, what is the most important message of the book?<\/strong>
\nWhenever we would like to get ahead, we need to look back first, and focus on our roots to see our foundations, our potential. Pope Francis, whom I quoted at the presentation of the book, put it this way: “Progress begins with a return to our roots.” Also, when we accomplish something, it\u2019s worth looking back at those who helped us on the way, to become aware of who our mentors were, whom we have learned from, and how we can pass that on. An important aspiration of mine is to fill the \u2019work hub\u2019 we have built at the Heart and Vascular Centre in V\u00e1rosmajor with a multitude of talented people – I believe that this will also have an impact on the future development of cardiology in Hungary.<\/p>\n

The book represents your career so far \u2013 what else is on the horizon for you?<\/strong>
\nThe V\u00e1rosmajor Clinic has developed a lot; I feel like it has reached its full potential, so our next goal is to develop Semmelweis University, to make it one of the top 100 universities in the world and to train the best doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals in Europe. Our opportunities are promising, but we have not yet come the way, and this is a way more complex mission than establishing a cutting edge clinic. We have solid foundations, but there is still a lot of work to do. It is essential to adapt the community mindset to a university level, that is, to make it common for anyone who becomes a doctor at the university to teach, research and heal at the same time. We want this to be the dominant approach in every discipline. The key to this is to develop workshops everywhere. If there is a mentor and a scientific work hub, the project will attract talented young people like a magnet.<\/p>\n

How do you select the most talented medical students?<\/strong>
\nI asked this question once to my friend, Olympic champion water polo player Tam\u00e1s Farag\u00f3. According to him, talented sportsmen are recognized by how they hold the \u201cspoon\u201d in their hand, meaning the ball itself. When a new medical student joins our team, I can measure his or her motivation by the initial conversation, but the professional future of a candidate can be assessed only after working together for at least a year or two. I usually focus on how enthusiastic, prudent and thorough that person is, even with a small task, and if there is any originality. I prefer them to think through the whole project, the process, and ultimately, strive for maximum results. It is in the best interest of the patient that we are not satisfied with 80 percent, but a minimum of 101 percent. That is a result acceptable without any reservations, because then there is one percent for negotiation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

At the end of the book presentation, a roundtable discussion took place with Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely and Dr. Tam\u00e1s Farag\u00f3, the Olympic champion water polo player who wrote the preface of the book. According to Dr. Farag\u00f3, the sports community believes that\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>if there is a medical problem, <\/span>Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely is dependable at any moment. With his attitude and expertise, he had won at least one or two gold medals for Hungary, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\r\n [slb_exclude]\r\n

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The book \u201eHealing with Heart and Soul\u201d, portraying the career of Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely, was published with the support of the Lajos Batthy\u00e1ny Foundation and the professional contribution of Lexika Publishing House.<\/p>\n

P\u00e1lma Dobozi
\nTranslation: Vikt\u00f3ria Kiss
\nPhoto: Attila Kov\u00e1cs \u2013 Semmelweis University<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the presentation, the rector also spoke about the importance of his roots and the balance between retrospection and looking ahead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101983,"featured_media":29244,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,286],"tags":[99],"class_list":["post-29233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-semmelweis-world","category-x-nyitolap","tag-heart-and-vascular-center"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101983"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29233"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29271,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29233\/revisions\/29271"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}