Lilla Kovács

Podiatrist

I am Lilla Kovács, and I have been working in healthcare for 31 years. In 1992, I started my career in a general surgery department, where I worked as a nurse. In 1995, I continued my career in the operating room as an anesthesiology assistant, a role I have been performing with great dedication, albeit with brief interruptions, to this day. Over the past 29 years, I have earned qualifications as a certified nurse, hospice nurse, and Basic Life Support (BLS) instructor. This year, I achieved another degree with distinction, also from Semmelweis University, where I completed podiatry training.

I consider this field of expertise extremely important because, in Hungary, proper podiatric care could prevent the looming threat of amputations for a significant portion of diabetes patients. Addressing this issue requires nursing professionals with independent competencies. The training of podiatrists with a multidisciplinary approach is still in its infancy, even though they are capable of effectively managing diabetic foot conditions. I have always been interested in and actively involved in wound care, and now, as a trained podiatrist, I can also help individuals living with chronic wounds and foot deformities. This exceptionally rare university degree allows me to make good use of my expertise in the clinic, especially since few people know that podiatrists have been recognized as integral members of diabetes care and community nursing teams across the European Union for decades. Their work has rightfully earned the respect of both society and the profession.

This new training program has received significant support from the medical profession, with numerous esteemed professors and professional medical societies backing the launch of this specialized training. I feel I can contribute greatly to preserving, diagnosing, and treating the health of the patients who visit the clinic.