Dr. Gabriel Mazilu became an MD at the age of only 30 and specialized in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery at one of the largest hospitals in Iași. 5 years ago, he left the state system to open his own business. Soon he will launch an aesthetic surgery clinic, in which he has invested more than a million euros. See his story in the new episode of the “De Bine” project launched by Banca Transilvania.

We are talking to Mr. Dr. Gabriel Mazilu who I would like to ask…were you afraid to leave the government system where you had a secure job?

Gabriel Mazilu: Indeed, everyone says that “how to leave the state system, where you have a well-secured job until retirement?!”. The thing is, if you want something and have a dream, I believe you should achieve it. And then I, if I may say so, risked everything and went, without blinking, to the private system.

In the state system, did you have everything you needed to perform, to conduct the operation at the highest level?

Gabriel Mazilu: No, no, and I don’t think there is a public hospital in Romania that would say yes, they have everything they need. If we talk about infrastructure, logistics, personnel, materials, etc., I don’t think there is a public hospital in Romania that has all these in one place. We definitely didn’t have that, not even close. I did my residency at an old emergency hospital that no longer exists. John was disbanded. And besides the fact that it was the best staff, from doctors, nurses, and so on, and very well trained, it was a hospital that did some operations that maybe others in America would do with the best facilities, and they didn’t. Otherwise, everything that was infrastructure was on the ground. Imagine that you had nowhere to take a shower. I mean, that’s how history was written. But the staff and everyone was very, very dedicated to the patients, for a low salary. There used to be salaries… I got that promotion four years ago, if I’m not mistaken, or something. And yet consider that in 2008 I had a salary of 780 lei per month. This is it. No paid guards, no nothing. Security guards are paid from the 3rd year of residence. And for all that I performed, I performed with what I had, with what I didn’t have. Until the restructuring is done, that is, everything from the beginning, but everything, at first, does not work. The patch no longer works, the patch no longer holds. That is, it no longer works to whitewash 200-year-old bricks. To operate the cutter, I’ll give you an example, for 40 years, the electric current that you use to do certain procedures, this thing doesn’t work anymore. Repairing medical equipment by hospital electricians, this thing does not work.

It is quite clear that the private system developed and grew also because you had no alternative to the public system. So the private system is putting pressure on the public system to improve and we are seeing some changes. What changes have you noticed in recent years?

Gabriel Mazilu: Well, the private system has put pressure on the public system for years to change, but little has happened. Maybe lately you can see some improvements in some places in the country, I’m not just talking about Iasi. But how can I say that?! Many years ago, the private system gave way to the state one. We are talking somewhere, maybe 2010, when it all started. But little was done. And then, indeed, patients slowly, slowly migrated to the private system. why Because the infrastructure of public hospitals is on the ground. Waiting, you have no offices for consultations, there is no order in hospitals. Nothing, absolutely nothing is respected. Patients do not respect anything.

You’re practically building your own hospital so you know you have everything you need to…

Gabriel Mazilu: Yes or own comfort. In the private hospital where you work so that you are also comfortable. Because it’s really annoying to know that at 1pm you want to eat like everyone else, isn’t it? And you have nowhere to eat. If you want to take a shower after your shift, there is nowhere for you. There are things that we did not have at our disposal. This is known, and I think no one can contradict me, because we have all eaten the same bread, worse or better.

And weren’t you afraid to rush like that, into the void, that there is still a lot to invest when you are alone?

Gabriel Mazilu: Do you know how it is? Decisions must be made on the spot. If you think too much, you will never invest. You will never invest. why Because we are made to love comfort. And if it’s comfort… I don’t know… you work in a hospital, it doesn’t matter which one, and there is an income, and everything is fine. You can afford that car, that vacation, that dress. This is called comfort. Do something. For this to be your business, you need a little dose of madness. And we are not talking about a rented office in the entrance, but about a rather large clinic. I have built a niche of patients that I trust very much and they follow me wherever I go. And then I thought I needed to take it to the next level, starting with offering, in addition to my medical services, what I can do with my hands and my mind, some outside services. And basically from that, a discussion arose, and I decided to make an aesthetic clinic a little different from what is around me and offer patients everything. A patient walks into the appropriate clinic, which is my clinic, and if she says, “I don’t know what X procedure I want,” it doesn’t exist, I don’t have it. This procedure should also be possible in the clinic. And then the patient will stay there.

How can we make Romania good?

Gabriel Mazilu: Let’s change everything, in all areas of life. We are like people, we are like Romanians. Because if we don’t change, nothing will improve.

Article supported by Banca Transilvania