Surgery is entering a new era, with robotics, artificial intelligence, and increasingly close international collaboration driving its transformation. Against this rapidly changing backdrop, Dr. Attila Paszt, surgeon and associate professor, took over as Director of the Department of Surgery at the Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center in June 2026. In his new role, he aims to ensure that the Department does more than simply keep pace with technological change – his ambition is to position it at the forefront of surgical innovation. We spoke with Dr. Paszt about his plans and priorities, and his vision for the future of surgery in Szeged.
Innovation and international expertise are central to Dr. Attila Paszt’s vision for the future of the Department of Surgery. His priorities include advancing robotic surgery and the use of artificial intelligence, strengthening international collaboration, training the next generation of surgeons, and expanding day surgery services. Underpinning these priorities is a commitment to continuous progress: learning from leading centers abroad, embracing cutting-edge technologies, and ensuring that new knowledge ultimately translates into better patient care in Szeged. Drawing on decades of experience in clinical practice, research, and international study visits, Dr. Paszt now brings this broad perspective to bear on the Department’s future.
Surgery as a way of life
Medicine has shaped Dr. Attila Paszt’s life for decades, but his connection to the profession began much earlier. Growing up in a family with several healthcare professionals, he saw from an early age the commitment, responsibility, and sense of purpose that define the profession.
“My father’s sister and her husband were both highly respected physicians, and the way they lived had a profound impact on me. I saw them often, and even as a child, I was struck by how completely they devoted themselves to medicine – as if time itself barely mattered to them. They were a husband-and-wife team, an internist and a pediatrician, who had begun their careers in Szeged, and medicine was woven into every aspect of their lives. That was when I first understood what an extraordinary calling medicine can be: as a physician, you are constantly striving to help others,” Dr. Paszt recalled.
Dr. Paszt’s decision to specialize in surgery, however, was largely driven by his own interests and aptitudes. He had always been drawn to challenges that called for swift, effective solutions, and surgery offered precisely that sense of immediate, tangible impact. A successful operation, he believes, can fundamentally change the course of a patient’s recovery – a conviction that led him to see surgery as the field where he could make the greatest difference. The choice also aligned naturally with his strengths. From an early age, he enjoyed building, repairing, and tinkering with things – anything that allowed him to work with his hands and solve practical problems. Combined with his manual dexterity and strong spatial awareness, this instinctive problem-solving mindset ultimately pointed him toward the operating room.
Learning from the giants of surgery
After graduating from Radnóti Miklós Experimental High School in Szeged, Attila Paszt had little doubt about where he wanted to continue his studies. He went on to study medicine at what was then Szeged’s Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical University. By his fourth and fifth years, his growing interest in surgery was already drawing him beyond the classroom and into the former Department of Surgery, where he spent much of his free time. There, he learned from renowned surgeons including Professor Péter Vattay, Professor György Lázár, and Professor Béla Baltás. Once he became part of their team, he immersed himself in the daily life of the Department, returning in the afternoons, evenings, and even on weekends to observe, learn, and contribute. “They were towering figures in surgery and deserve the highest respect. I admired not only their exceptional expertise and the extraordinarily high standard of care they provided, but also their integrity and distinctive personalities. What stayed with me most was that, even as a student, I never felt kept at a distance – they treated me almost as a friend,” Dr. Paszt recalled.
Dr. Paszt’s dedication soon opened doors that few medical students had access to. While still at university, he was able to assist in surgical procedures and gain valuable hands-on experience – opportunities that were difficult to come by alongside the demands of full-time medical training. By the time he graduated, his next step was clear: he wanted to continue at the Department of Surgery. Competition for a residency there, however, was intense, with nine applicants vying for just two positions. “I was accepted with the second-highest score in my class. At the time, a residency at the Department of Surgery was considered highly prestigious. It was an incredible opportunity, and I was absolutely thrilled to have been given the chance,” he recalled.
From research to clinical impact
At the University of Szeged, clinical practice, research, and education are closely intertwined – and all three have played a pivotal role in Dr. Paszt’s career from the outset. His research journey began in the pancreatic research laboratory, where early successes soon led to publications and laid the foundation for his academic development.
“My research career began in the pancreatic research laboratory under the guidance of Professor György Lázár and Professor Tamás Takács, where I had the opportunity to work alongside leading experts including Dr. Attila Szepes, Dr. Péter Hegyi, and Dr. Zoltán Rakonczay. We achieved outstanding results, which we were able to publish relatively quickly in respected scientific journals. The research I carried out as part of this team also made an important contribution to my PhD,” Dr. Paszt explained.
Building on his early research experience, Dr. Paszt went on to develop his own focus within clinical research, concentrating on the complex, multidisciplinary care of patients with cancer. His work examined how preoperative treatment and subsequent surgery influenced patient outcomes across several major tumor types, including colorectal, rectal, esophageal, and gastric cancers. Over time, this growing body of research became a significant milestone in his academic career and laid the foundation for his habilitation.
Learning beyond borders
International experience also played a defining role in Dr. Paszt’s professional development, exposing him to new surgical approaches, leading research environments, and training models that would later shape his own vision for the future of surgery in Szeged. While still an assistant professor, he joined the research group led by Professor Gyula Farkas, who launched and coordinated the “Pancreatic Islet Cell Isolation and Transplantation” program. Through this initiative, Dr. Paszt spent nearly six months at the University of Miami’s world-renowned Diabetes Research Institute, gaining first-hand experience in one of the field’s leading international research environments.
Dr. Paszt later continued his international training in Boston. With the guidance and support of Professor György Lázár, he completed two further study visits focused primarily on minimally invasive surgery, with particular emphasis on advanced laparoscopic procedures and bariatric surgery. These experiences gave him first-hand exposure to cutting-edge surgical techniques and international best practices at a crucial stage of his career.
For Dr. Paszt, however, the value of these study visits extended far beyond learning new technical skills. They became formative milestones that broadened his professional outlook, deepened his surgical expertise, and helped shape his ideas about how future generations of surgeons should be trained. The knowledge he gained in Miami soon found practical application in Szeged. The expertise he brought back helped lay the foundations for a pancreatic islet cell isolation laboratory, bringing one of the era’s most advanced therapeutic approaches into local clinical practice.
“We isolated the islets of Langerhans – the insulin-producing cells – from pancreases retrieved from donors. The cells were then prepared in a small volume of suspension, roughly enough to fill a syringe, and injected into another patient’s liver under ultrasound guidance. The procedure proved highly effective in stabilizing diabetes. At the time, it represented a major innovation: pancreatic islet cell transplantation was among the most advanced procedures available,” Dr. Paszt explained.
By then, the laboratory also reflected the strong international network behind the program. Its work was supported by experts with international experience, including a specialist who returned to Hungary from the United States to contribute expertise in cell culture. Although the laboratory was later forced to discontinue its work for professional and health policy reasons, it nevertheless marked an important chapter in Szeged’s efforts to translate cutting-edge international expertise into clinical practice.
Dr. Attila Paszt receives his appointment as head of the Department of Surgery at the Szent-Györgyi Albert Excellence Award Ceremony on June 16, 2026. Photo: Dávid Miskolci
Bringing world-class expertise to Szeged
For Dr. Paszt, international experience is not simply an advantage – it is an essential part of training the surgeons of the future. His own career has shown him how profoundly time spent at leading centers abroad can shape a physician’s skills, confidence, and professional outlook. As the newly appointed head of the Department of Surgery, he now wants to open the same doors for younger colleagues, giving them the opportunity to learn from international experts, experience different models of care, and work with the latest surgical technologies.
“Working and training abroad exposes you to far more than new surgical techniques and procedures. It changes the way you think, broadens your perspective, and gives you knowledge that can ultimately be translated into better patient care at home. Our goal is to ensure that patients in Hungary also benefit from the most advanced care available. That is why we have a responsibility to bring back the knowledge, experience, and technologies we acquire abroad,” Dr. Paszt emphasized.
Dr. Paszt’s vision extends beyond individual study visits. He also wants every unit within the Department of Surgery to build lasting professional partnerships with leading international institutions, creating a strong network for regular exchange, shared learning, and professional mobility. “Surgery is evolving at an extraordinary pace. New procedures and techniques emerge every few years, and we need to gain first-hand experience with them abroad, bring that expertise home, and put it into practice. If we fail to keep up, we inevitably fall behind,” he stressed.
Modernizing surgical education for the next generation
Dr. Paszt is taking the helm of a department with strong foundations – but for him, preserving what works must go hand in hand with embracing what comes next. With surgery advancing at remarkable speed, he plans to reshape both undergraduate education and postgraduate training to keep pace with the changing profession. As a first step, he has established a six-member educational team charged with reviewing and modernizing the surgical curriculum and examination requirements, ensuring that the next generation of surgeons is equipped for an increasingly technology-driven future.
Robotic surgery could mark one of the most exciting turning points in the future of surgical care in Szeged. After years of anticipation, Dr. Paszt believes the Department may soon be in a position to begin introducing the technology. “We have been waiting for robotic surgery to arrive in Szeged for many years, and now it seems that training may finally be within reach. But launching robot-assisted surgery is far more complex than simply bringing a system into the operating room. We need to design a comprehensive training program, identify the procedures we will introduce first, and build the entire framework carefully, step by step. The team itself will also continue to evolve as new colleagues join, responsibilities are defined, and experience grows. It is a major undertaking, but also an extraordinary opportunity to move surgical care in Szeged into a new era,” Dr. Paszt remarked.
Harnessing robotics and artificial intelligence
Robot-assisted surgery is only one part of the transformation reshaping the modern operating room. Increasingly, it is being paired with artificial intelligence, opening new possibilities for greater precision, safer surgical navigation, and more informed decision-making. Research in this field is advancing rapidly, and some AI-powered tools are already assisting surgeons in clinical practice. “During abdominal surgery, for example, AI can help surgeons navigate complex anatomy by identifying the location of blood vessels and nerves and displaying this information on a screen, allowing procedures to be performed with greater precision,” Dr. Paszt explained. The Department of Surgery is closely following these developments, with particular attention to how robotics and AI could be integrated into surgical care in Szeged in the years ahead.
“We are highly receptive to this new field, and it is clear that major resources are being invested in it internationally. We want to contribute to these developments by establishing AI-focused research programs and involving young researchers, students engaged in scientific work, and resident physicians. The goal is not research for its own sake, but to apply what we learn in clinical practice so that it ultimately benefits our patients,” Dr. Paszt said. He was quick to add, however, that robotic surgery does not mean that robots operate independently: the surgeon remains fully in control, with the robotic system precisely translating the physician’s movements into action.
For Dr. Paszt, the real promise lies in what comes next. Robotics and artificial intelligence are already entering everyday clinical practice, and the task now is to explore their potential, test their applications, and determine how these technologies can advance surgery and improve patient care.
Expanding day surgery services, creating new opportunities
Day surgery is another area Dr. Paszt is determined to bring back to the forefront. His ambition is to significantly expand capacity, helping to shorten waiting lists for procedures that may not be life-saving but can make a profound difference to patients’ quality of life. The benefits, however, extend well beyond faster access to care.
“Day surgery is important on several levels. First and foremost, it benefits our patients, but it also creates invaluable opportunities for our younger colleagues. This is where young surgeons can operate, suture, gain hands-on experience, and experience the satisfaction of a successful procedure. It gives them a strong foundation on which to build their careers. By creating these opportunities, we can not only retain talented young surgeons in Szeged, but also make the Department an attractive place for the next generation to train and develop,” Dr. Paszt explained.
Redefining surgery for a changing world
The operating room of the future may look very different from the one we know today. Dr. Paszt expects surgery to undergo profound transformation over the next 10 to 15 years, as research, robotics, and rapidly advancing technologies continue to push the boundaries of what is possible. At the same time, closer collaboration across medical specialties is reshaping how treatment decisions are made, placing multidisciplinary expertise increasingly at the heart of patient care. “Our approach to surgery has changed dramatically. In the past, the field was often associated with long, heroic operations. Today, advanced technologies, precision, and carefully defined indications are increasingly taking center stage. Surgery has lost none of its importance – it continues to fulfill the same vital role, but in smarter, more precise, and increasingly sophisticated ways,” he explained.
The push toward the future is not coming from surgeons and technology alone – patients are increasingly helping to drive it. With access to an unprecedented amount of medical information online, now increasingly supported by artificial intelligence, patients are becoming more informed, more engaged, and more aware of emerging treatment options. “Many patients today are actively interested in new procedures and, in some cases, specifically want to be treated using the latest technologies, such as robot-assisted surgery. Their openness sends a clear message: in the years ahead, patient expectations and demand for innovation may become an increasingly powerful force in shaping the future of healthcare,” Dr. Paszt concluded.
Original Hungarian article by Tímea Fülöp
Feature photo: Dr. Attila Paszt. Photo courtesy of Dr. Attila Paszt
