“We must also pay attention to the soul if we truly want to understand the patient.”
“There is no more devastating feeling for a patient than helplessness and uncertainty — and it’s my duty to help them overcome that,” says Dr. Pál Ábrahám, who has always placed the person and their story at the center of his medical practice. When a patient walks into his office, he observes not only the symptoms, but also gestures, movement, and emotional state — all essential clues for an accurate diagnosis. He compares his work to that of a detective, where patient trust is a key tool on the path to recovery.
Dr. Ábrahám graduated summa cum laude from Semmelweis University in 1999. He earned board certifications in internal medicine (2005) and cardiology (2008), followed by international licenses in device-based and electrophysiological management of arrhythmias. In 2015, he obtained his PhD with a research focus on non-pharmacological treatment options for arrhythmias in heart failure patients.
Throughout his career, he has contributed to several major cardiology centers. He gained a foundation in patient-centered inpatient care at Péterfy Hospital, and acquired invasive electrophysiology experience at the National Institute of Cardiology. At Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, one of the world’s leading medical institutions, he worked as both a researcher and clinician. Since 2014, he has been based at Semmelweis University’s Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center, where he teaches, conducts research, and treats patients. As of April 2025, Dr. Ábrahám is Head of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at St. Francis Hospital in Budapest, where he continues to apply his up-to-date expertise in a patient-focused environment.
His main fields of interest include the treatment of arrhythmias, cardiac ultrasound diagnostics, and uncovering the cardiological causes of stroke. With over 20 years of experience, 27 scientific publications, and international recognition (FESC, EHRA), he still believes the most important principle is to see the person behind the illness. As he puts it: “Alongside science, humanity must always be present — because both the doctor and the patient share the same goal: healing.”