Interview with Dr. Gabriella Bene – Doctor Spotlight

Dr. Bene has been a part of FirstMed for 12 years now.

Why did you become a doctor?

It wasn’t always clear that I would become a doctor. My dad is a general doctor and my mom is a nurse, so I grew up around the topic of medicine. I loved how my father was so attached to his patients, and how my mom loved her patients. This is why I choose to become a doctor.

During high school, I wasn’t so sure about my decision because I fell in love with literature and history and I dreamed of becoming an archeologist.  After a long decision process, I decided to become a doctor. Literature and history stayed with me as a hobby.

What attracted you to pediatrics?

 During medical school, I was really interested in pediatrics and general medicine. When it was time to choose I picked pediatrics because I always loved children.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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What are the good and bad parts of being a doctor?

It is very good when I find the root of the problem that causes pain for the child. Using my knowledge I can help them. 

During the years I often develop a very good relationship with the children and the parents. I am very happy when I get to be the doctor for the second, third, or fourth child in the family. The trust that parents have in me, and the love that I receive from the kids is a big cause of my happiness. This is one of the best parts of pediatrics.

One of the bad parts of being a doctor is being on call. When I was on the night shift at the hospital the thought that I had to make my decisions on my own, and I couldn’t consult one of my colleagues worried me a lot. It was hard after a long day. 

As a doctor I have a big responsibility, I know that I cannot make any mistakes. I have to think through every single decision I make and I have to be very thorough with every child, to make the best decision for them. 

If you need any help with a child here at FirstMed who do you contact?

That depends on the problem. First I do some research. I often consult my colleagues. When I find it fit I refer them to a specialist. 

 What makes FirstMed different from other places where you have practiced medicine?

It is very good that we have a laboratory, ultrasound, and X-ray here at FirstMed. If I need diagnostics or a laboratory exam to be done for one of my patients, I can get it done almost immediately. 

I also love the family atmosphere here. I love to work with my colleagues, we have a very good team. We love our patients, there is a reason why they call us FirstMed Family.

Our patients value the love and support we give them. Not so long ago a mother of one of our patients was hesitant to call us after the visits. By the time she decided to give us a call, we called her first. We wanted to ask her how her child was doing.

So as a pediatrician you take on the role of the mother a little bit?

Yes. When I send home a child that doesn’t need to go to the hospital yet, but if their symptoms worsen, they might need to go in gives me a lot of worries. Whether I was good at informing the mom when to go to the hospital or not, can they follow the instructions that I gave them, was I clear enough? These are the times when I worry about them, even when I get home, hoping that everything will go smoothly for them.

Do you think every pediatrician is like this or is it just you? 

I don’t know. During my studies here and abroad I learned how to give the most attention to my patients and their families. 

What do you love most about FirstMed?

As I mentioned before, the fact that we have all the necessary tools to get a good diagnosis. I also love that my colleagues are very professional and that the patients cooperate with us. 

What do you consider when looking for a doctor for yourself or a family member? 

They have to be good at their job, pay attention to the patient. Not to have to wait a long time to get an appointment. I read the reviews about the doctor and ask for the opinion of my colleagues, ask them if they can suggest someone for my problems.

Besides specific medical advice that you give to individual patients is there anything that you would recommend for people to stay as healthy as possible?

I recommend yearly screening exams. I love the so-called well visits when I can see how much the child has developed during that year. It is very important to pay attention to their eating and sleeping patterns, their learning, and social development. Eating and sleeping patterns are also very important for teenagers, during these visits we can find out whether their eating and/or sleeping problems are caused by mental or emotional problems or not. A lot of times they don’t share everything with their parents, so during these visits, we can shine a light on those problems. 

Thank you Dr. Bene for the interview.

If you wish to make an appointment, please call +36 1 224 9090.