BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 14. Trend News Agency presents an exclusive interview with Nuran Abdullayev, a distinguished Azerbaijani neurosurgeon, scientist, and clinic director living in Germany.
In this conversation, Dr. Abdullayev reflects on his inspiring journey in the medical field, starting from his early aspirations to study medicine to his groundbreaking achievements in neuroradiology. His story is one of determination, innovation, and success as he navigated his path from humble beginnings to becoming a leader in his field.
What sparked your interest in medicine, particularly neuroradiology? How did you end up studying medicine in Germany? Who helped you make that dream a reality?
I've an interest in medicine and neuroradiology for various reasons. To start with medicine, I have to mention that from a young age, my parents would always point to my siblings, who studied day and night, as examples, saying that I should follow their path. They were all studying at the Medical University. Since then, I've had this idea in my mind that I should be someone who studies hard, maybe even becoming a doctor. Ultimately, the key factor in choosing medicine was my grandfather, Jamil Abdullayev.
As for choosing a specialty, I want to emphasize that for me, medicine isn't just a profession but a mission. Helping people, improving their quality of life, and protecting their health are among my most important values. On the other hand, I’ve always been open to development and innovation. While searching for the most innovative way to fulfill my life’s mission, I decided to specialize in neuroradiology and to engage not only in practical work but also in scientific research. Fate led me to pursue this mission, and years later, I became the youngest doctor to perform brain surgery on a stroke patient at the age of 28 in Germany, one of the most advanced countries in Europe in terms of medical development.
Your achievements are the result of a long and difficult journey. What are the most memorable moments along the way?
The answer to this question is a story I could talk about for days. But just to say, every moment is memorable. Because the challenging path toward a goal is never forgotten, never! This has even been scientifically proven. For example, I could share a scientific study where even a pleasant scent or a word can bring you back to a difficult day. If you often take these mental journeys back in time and talk about them, it means you’re successful and experienced. Once again, this is scientifically proven. But the question may arise: What if the difficult path doesn’t always lead you to your goals? How do you reach your goals? Realizing them is one of the key conditions for achieving them. Without realizing it, moving toward your goal may cause you to lose your balance in the face of obstacles. The goal will never let you stumble. So when does realization begin? It begins after a person comes into contact with themselves, and that depends on their ability and strength to be alone. The more time you can spend alone, the more you’ll realize. When I took the first steps toward my goals, I was just 23 years old, living alone in a 12-square-meter dorm room in Cologne.
Medicine is a highly developed field in Germany. As an Azerbaijani doctor, what challenges did you face?
Since I started my medical career directly in Germany with an amazing team, many of the innovative practices used in German healthcare might seem surprising to some, but they feel quite ordinary to me. I was educated and trained in these innovations, and for me, they are a standard. On the other hand, I want to highlight the advantage of applying these innovations in countries where healthcare is still developing. This skill develops after being educated and trained in this environment, and many people perceive it as an extra talent, but I don't see anything extraordinary in that.
Did the German environment have any particular impact on your career as a doctor?
This is a very broad topic with both philosophical and non-philosophical aspects, and it can be discussed in-depth. But in short, I don’t believe that the environment has a special influence on one’s career. What matters to me is internal order and discipline. If a person can control and manage these aspects well, they can succeed even in Africa with the help of modern technology, without needing to go to Germany or America. Once internal order and discipline are established correctly, you should work with people who share the same goals. For example, all the amazing team members I work with today are heads of major clinics in Germany.
What stands out most to you about the German healthcare system?
Having completed educational programs at Harvard University, I’ve had the chance to compare healthcare systems in many countries. The conclusion I’ve drawn is that in Germany’s healthcare system, patients trust the healthcare system even before they trust their doctors. That’s a huge achievement because healthcare development is impossible without trust. The second most important factor is that medical services are based on scientific evidence and the latest medical protocols.
Do you remember any particularly short surgeries you’ve performed?
I've performed over 1,000 brain surgeries to date. The surgeries I performed on stroke patients have had a particularly significant impact on my career. The key point is that stroke surgery needs to be performed as quickly as possible. The brain surgery I completed in just 11 minutes is still my record. I finished the surgery at midnight and went home, confident that I had saved the patient’s life. After the patient woke up from anesthesia, they sent me a video through my colleagues, saying, "I can move my hand and foot now, I survived the stroke".
Can you tell us about any innovations you’ve introduced in this field?
I don’t like talking about the firsts or innovations I’ve brought to the field. I believe that those who know how to evaluate these results understand how they were achieved. In brief, I can say that my team and I have brought numerous scientific and practical innovations to radiology and neuroradiology. These innovations have been presented all around the world. For example, I can mention the first-ever visualization of bone edema with computed tomography, measuring bone density with computed tomography, and the innovative changes we made to surgical techniques for brain blood vessels. I am the first Azerbaijani to receive a patent for this field in Europe.
We’d also like to hear about the clinic you lead. What services can ordinary Germans access there?
At the clinic I lead, we offer all services in line with modern healthcare standards. For me, the most important and honorable achievement as a leader was establishing a neuroradiology center for stroke patients in a region of Germany with a population of over 600,000. Now, with this center, we are able to save lives in that region.