I first graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tirana in Albania. My career started with my thesis, which studied the clinical and epidemiological profile of chronic liver disease in Albania compared to other neighbouring countries like Italy and Greece. Following my degree in Medicine and Surgery, I earned a scholarship at Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italy’s National Institute of Public Health), one of the most important research institutes in Italy. This was the time when hepatitis C infection was discovered; there was a lot of fascinating research work like the detection of the virus in different populations, including those with chronic liver disease of unknown aetiology and paediatric populations, as well as virus genotyping and sequencing. Working in the field of hepatitis viruses, and trying to interpret the virological data on different clinical contexts and implications, served as the main driver for my decision to specialise in gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy, with the main focus on chronic liver diseases.
What originally led you to a career in gastroenterology and hepatology, specifically focusing on digestive endoscopy?
I first graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tirana in Albania.
