Petra was born into a medical family in Munich. She received her M.D. at Ludwig-Maximilians University in 1983.
Her neurosurgical internship began in Hannover, Germany with Dr. M. Samii. A further internship, at Yale University in New Haven with Dr. W. Collins, led to a decision to continue her residency in the U.S.
In 1991, Petra completed her neurosurgical residency at Eastern Virginia Graduate School of Medicine in Norfolk. Subsequently, she completed a coveted Neurovascular Fellowship with Dr. Sydney J. “Skip” Peerless, in Miami. Petra was then in private practice in New York City until 1996, when she returned to academic practice in Germany with Dr. Werner Hassler. However, despite the bonds of culture and family, Petra missed the independence of American medical practice, and the quality of life in Hampton Roads.
Petra brings with her a combination of specialized expertise inneurovascular, spinal, radiosurgery and pediatric neurosurgery. She is ABNS Board Certified.
16 years later, family and an excellent opportunity for private practice at the Privatklink Wehrle Clinic have convinced Dr. Gurtner to set up an office in Salzburg. She will focus her practice on minimal invasive spine surgery.
Since April 2015 Drs Astrid Takacs-Tolnai and Petra Gurtner have joined each other in practice. They share the same caring philosophy and focus.