Dr Marika Crohns, An Icon in the Health Sector
Dr. Marika Crohns is a visionary leader who has been working with exemplary devotion in the areas of healthcare, pharmaceuticals, biotech, and med tech. She is a Medical Doctor with specialized training in Pharmaceutical Medicine and board certifications in Oncology and Radiation Therapy. She has a PhD focused on the biomarkers of lung cancer.
Here is an interview with Dr. Marika Crohns, where she shares more about her journey and experiences.
What has been your greatest contribution towards the health sector?
“I have identified my greatest contribution to healthcare as my work in advocating for and implementing patient-centered care practices. This approach emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the needs, preferences, and values of patients in their treatment. By promoting and integrating these practices, I have helped to shift the focus of healthcare from purely clinical outcomes to a more holistic understanding of patient well-being, improving both the quality of care and patient satisfaction. I believe that my efforts have played a crucial role in transforming healthcare systems to be more empathetic and responsive to individual patient experiences”.
What have been your greatest achievements during your career?
“I feel that my greatest achievement can be seen as a pioneering role as a female lecturer, for example at the World Free Radical Conference in Japan in 2000, where I stood out as one of the few women among thousands of men. I was one of the key presenters there and I find this accomplishment significant for several reasons. First, in the era when the scientific field, particularly at high-profile international conferences, was predominantly male-dominated, my presence as a young female investigator and leader highlighted my expertise and recognition of my ground-breaking research at the time by the global scientific community.
Also, I hope that my presentation at the conference served as an inspiration and paved the way for greater gender diversity and inclusion in scientific research and academia. It was a demonstration that women can achieve high levels of recognition and influence in fields that were traditionally dominated by men. In addition, I wish to believe that by contributing my insights and research on free radicals, I did help advance understanding of this critical and novel area of science, hopefully influencing subsequent research and applications in healthcare and medicine”.
What inspired you to aim for those achievements?
“I guess I was inspired by several factors- firstly, at that time I had a deep-seated passion for medicine and scientific research and interest in understanding complex biological processes and contributing to advancements in healthcare. Also, witnessing the gender disparities in the scientific community motivated me to strive for excellence and serve as a role model for other women in science. My determination to break through the glass ceiling would have been a powerful driving force.
Thirdly, my commitment to patient-centered care and improving health outcomes have driven myself to push boundaries and achieve recognition in my field, knowing that my work could have a significant impact on patients’ lives. I need to confess that facing and overcoming challenges and obstacles in a male-dominated field strengthened my resolve and inspired me to achieve more, proving that women can excel and lead in scientific research and healthcare.
Throughout my journey, I’ve had the privilege to have excellent mentors and supporters who have believed in my potential and have encouraged me to pursue my goals. That has played a crucial role during my journey. Therefore, I wish to now give back to the younger generation and have been mentoring younger leaders from all over the world”.
Have you been able to bring in innovation to your work related to building a better understanding of self-love and health?
“I have been an advocate for integrative health approaches meaning that I’ve been a proponent of integrating mental and emotional well-being with physical health. By emphasizing the importance of self-love and its impact on overall health, I’ve advocated for more holistic and patient-centred healthcare practices. Through my lectures and public speaking engagements, I have educated healthcare professionals and the public on the critical connection between self-love, mental health, and physical well-being. My efforts have hopefully helped shift the healthcare narrative to include a more comprehensive understanding of health.
I’ve been a strong advocate for patient-centered care, which aligns with the principles of self-love and respect. By promoting healthcare practices that prioritize patients’ needs, preferences, and values, I’ve innovated the way healthcare providers approach treatment and care, ensuring that patients feel valued and understood.
What is your vision as a woman leader? How do you plan to achieve it?
“My vision is to create an inclusive and innovative environment that values diversity, promotes holistic well-being, and fosters the growth of future leaders not only in science and medicine but also in business. I’m establishing and participating in mentorship initiatives to support and guide women and minorities in their careers. I’m also collaborating with organizations and policymakers to advocate for policies that ensure equal opportunities and support for women and minorities in the workplace.
My aim is also to promote the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and methodologies that improve patient care and outcomes but can also be utilized in businesses. This includes supporting initiatives that integrate digital health tools, telemedicine, and personalized medicine into everyday practice.
I also wish to implement leadership practices that promote inclusivity and diversity within organizations. This includes creating policies that support work-life balance, diverse hiring practices, and inclusive workplace cultures.
My wish is to serve as a role model by sharing my journey and experiences through public speaking engagements, interviews, and publications. I wish to inspire young women and minorities to pursue careers in science and healthcare.
By focusing on these areas, I aim to contribute to a more equitable, innovative, and holistic society that benefits everyone”.
As a female doctor, how do you ensure your patients build trust and faith in you?
“In my opinion, effective communication is the key. I make active listening a priority, try to listen carefully to my patients’ concerns, questions, and experiences. This helps me understand their needs and provide tailored care. I ensure that I explain diagnoses, treatment options, and procedures in a way that is easy to understand, avoiding medical jargon and checking for understanding.
I approach each patient with empathy, acknowledging their emotions and experiences. This helps patients feel valued and understood. I strive to provide care that respects each patient’s unique situation, preferences, and cultural background, making them feel respected and cared for as individuals.
Transparency is very important, and I am open about the treatment processes, potential outcomes, and any risks involved. Being honest and transparent helps build credibility and trust.
I encourage patients to ask questions and express their concerns. I ensure they are involved in decision-making processes regarding their treatment plans.
Respect and confidentiality are essential- I maintain the highest standards of respect and confidentiality,
ensuring that patients feel safe discussing sensitive issues.
By focusing on these strategies, I aim to create a trusting and supportive environment where patients feel confident in my care, ultimately leading to better health outcomes and a positive healthcare experience”.
ensuring that patients feel safe discussing sensitive issues.
By focusing on these strategies, I aim to create a trusting and supportive environment where patients feel confident in my care, ultimately leading to better health outcomes and a positive healthcare experience”.
What are the best practices to ensure general health and wellness?
“Ensuring general health and wellness involves adopting a holistic approach that encompasses physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It includes a balanced diet, regular sleep, sufficient hydration and avoidance of excessive intake of processed food. Regular exercise and adequate preventive measurements like screening tests are also important.
Stress management, positive attitude, various relaxation activities, meaningful hobbies and close relationships with the community and extended family are part of mental health which may also affect your physical health.
Avoiding the use of tobacco and alcohol is important. Keeping track of important health metrics such as weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels should also be remembered.
By incorporating these best practices into daily life, individuals can enhance their general health and wellness, leading to a more balanced and fulfilling life”.
How to best prevent lifestyle diseases? What are your recommendations?
“As an oncologist (cancer doctor), it is known that many cancers are linked with unhealthy lifestyle and habits. For example, research has shown that a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats may protect from bowel cancer and other tumor types. Thus, maintaining a healthy diet and controlling your portion size is important as well as limiting the amount of processed foods and intake of unhealthy, saturated fatty acids. Reducing the intake of sugar and salt is beneficial as well as avoiding too spicy foods.
As I’m always advocating for women’s health, one of the cheapest ways to reduce the morbidity of hormonally related cancers, such as breast cancer, is regular self-inspection and mammogram screening. Evidence shows that certain viruses, like the human papilloma viruses (HPV) can cause cervical cancer and thus screening of this tumor type is of utmost importance starting already at young adulthood”.
What is your message to the readers?
The most important teaching that I learned already a long time ago from my cancer patients can be synthesized in Latin words ‘Carpe Diem’ which means ‘Seize the moment’.
Embrace every moment and live life to its fullest. Cherish the present and focus on what you can do today to improve your health and well-being.
Life is precious and nobody of us knows what tomorrow brings. Therefore, taking care of your self is important but it is equally important to care about those who are less fortunate.
In addition, I would wish to promote the gender balance and women’s empowerment. I would wish to see more women in leading STEM roles and support women in becoming visible leaders and public speakers.
As a summary I would like to say to the readers that your journey to health and wellness is unique and personal. Embrace it with confidence, curiosity, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Together, we can build a healthier, more compassionate and equal world.
