Alumni Portraits
Karl Landsteiner University graduates report on their experiences during their studies and in their subsequent professional lives.
What I associate with KL: Innovation, team spirit, patient focus, empathy – four terms that, for Dr Simone Aufhauser, sum up the spirit of her time as a student at Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences.
After graduating in 2019, she went straight to the 3rd Medical Department of Cardiology at the University Hospital St.Pölten, where she specialised in heart failure. This was a path that was not originally planned: ‘Initially, anaesthesia was the goal, but that quickly changed during my basic training,’ she recalls. Today, she has arrived in cardiology with complete conviction.
Her advice to today's medical students:
‘Do clinical placements, do clinical placements, do clinical placements!’ – a clear recommendation from practical experience. She also advises:
"Try to put yourself in the patient's shoes – then you'll know how you would want to be treated. And always talk! Dialogue with patients is key.‘’
She has a clear goal for the future:
In five years, Dr. Aufhauser sees herself as a specialist in cardiology and heart failure – with a heart and expertise for people in difficult health situations.
What I associate with Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences: Success :-) – that's how Lukas Heinrich, who completed his Bachelor's degree in Medicine at Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences in 2024, sums it up.
His path is now leading him steadily towards a Master Programme. At the same time, he is already working: after successfully completing all his compulsory clinical placements, he is currently working in his GP's practice and as a junior assistant in Tulln.
It is clear that he had long since decided on a career in medicine:
"Yes, it was always clear to me – the bachelor's degree is a good foundation for me, but not an end point. At the same time, it is also a safety net – better than no degree at all if family or health reasons were to make it impossible to continue.‘
His advice to first-year students:
’One step at a time – big goals, but with small, daily steps in that direction."
A special moment from his everyday student life still makes him smile today:
‘A lecturer came into the classroom, saw me – and thought he was in the wrong room. He probably thought I was teaching staff.’
The reason? Lukas is a career changer in adult education – and thus stands out in a positive way.
In five years, he sees himself as a Dr. med. univ., on his way to becoming a specialist in general medicine.
The modular structure of the study programmes allowed me to strengthen my own interests and focus in particular on clinical psychology. This area provided a good practical foundation, which continues to support me in my current day-to-day work in a correctional facility. A particular highlight for me was the one-day retreat as part of the seminar on mindfulness-based therapy. With the aim of being able to do my job as a clinical psychologist well and, above all, for a long time, these sessions helped me recognise the importance of treating myself with mindfulness. Looking back, the experiences I had during my studies have helped me not only professionally, but also personally.”
Dr Timothy Ellis has a special feeling of closeness and togetherness with the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences:
‘A sense of community like a small family, where everyone helps each other to get the best out of each other.’
After graduating in 2024, his career took him to the surgery department at the Horn Regional Hospital. He became interested in general medicine, cardiology and surgery at an early age – but a clerkship between his 4th and 5th year of study was decisive:
‘I was fascinated by how broad and diverse surgery is – and at the same time, how well and quickly you can help patients.’
His advice to all first-year students:
‘The course is long, you learn a lot – and you notice how you develop day by day, month by month and semester by semester. Make sure you find a good balance: your studies are important, but don't forget your private life and yourself.’
In five years, Timothy sees himself at the end of his training as a specialist in surgery – with the clear goal of ‘treating patients with the best of my knowledge and skills.’
I associate Karl Landsteiner University with: ‘the finest medical training’ – this is how Dr Andreas Schenzel describes his time as a student at the university.
After graduating in 2023, he now works as a resident at University Hospital Tulln. His medical focus is on general medicine – a field that combines many of his interests: paediatrics, internal medicine, neurology and conservative orthopaedics.
‘Fortunately, all these areas are present in general medicine on a daily basis.’
He knew early on that this path appealed to him. His advice to first-year students is therefore practice-oriented:
"Do plenty of clinical placements – only two weeks at a time, but in as many subjects as possible. It's best to do them in the summer before the respective subject in the curriculum – then you'll already be well prepared.‘
His personal motto during his studies (and probably also in everyday life):
’Always stay cool."
In five years, Andreas sees himself as an approachable and holistically working general practitioner with an emergency medicine diploma – a goal he is pursuing with commitment, calmness and foresight.