Dr Astrid Takacs-Tolnai

“The surgeon doesn’t attend to the case but to the patient. The patient as a ‘whole person’, he’s the center of all medical endeavors.” This is a quote by a famous German surgeon, Hans Killian, MD. As a 15-year-old I was reading all of his books and I fell in love with the idea of becoming a surgeon myself, who would be faithful to his tenets.

Today I am board-certified in neurosurgery, trauma surgery and in emergency medicine. I also hold a degree in systems coaching since 2015.

I received all of my medical training in Austria. At the Karl Franzen University in Graz, I did medical school. Waitressing helped me pay my bills. My neurosurgical training I received from Günther Lanner, MD, an outstanding surgeon and human being. In 2003 I started private practice in Salzburg, while simultaneously training as a fellow in spine with Helmut Hirtz, MD.

In 2005 I was asked to cover head injuries at the trauma center in Salzburg and I was offered a residency in trauma surgery/emergency medicine ( board certified in 2012) at the same institution. Today I continue to practice trauma surgery with a focus on head and spinal injuries. I also work in private practice with Petra Gurtner, MD, another neurosurgeon with an interest in the care of elders.

Skiing, hiking, jogging in the Alps around Salzburg, spending time with my family–my son Philip and my husband Christopher, as well as the dogs, Enzo and Cindy– those are happiness. Simple pleasures are all I need for restoring my faith in my calling.

“The patient is a “whole person”, he’s the center of all medical endeavors.”