International Medis Awards panel member for Intensive Care Medicine and Anesthesiology, Prof. Nenad Karanović, MD, PhD, from the Department of Anesthesiology at the University Clinical Centre Split, Croatia, has enthusiastically worked as an anaesthesiologist for nearly 40 years. Although very stressful, his profession is also very dynamic and rewarding, as the results of his work can be observed in a very short period of time once a person has started treatment. Furthermore, he feels very privileged to have together with his colleagues contributed to the development of anaesthesiology and intensive medicine in Croatia.

“We took part in a very intense development in our practice introducing new medications and equipment. This is also great contentment, and when looking back, it fills me and other colleagues with satisfaction and a certain amount of pride.” 

He is aware that researchers are very burdened with their daily work activity, but still they have the motivation to do research, despite the lack of their free time and at the expense of their families.

“This is why we have to congratulate our nominees. Some manuscripts are really high-quality and contribute to medical science globally. Most researches make very small advancements, but globally, these studies contribute to continuous enrichment and improvement of medical science!"

Prof. Karanović believes that the research conditions in Croatia are improving continuously. Over the last 30 years, there has been a significant increase of grants and supports from the Ministry of Science and Education, as well as other governmental and private institutions. He believes anaesthesiology and intensive medicine improve and advance continuously. Anaesthesiology plays an important role in perioperative medicine and in some parts of intensive medicine, enabling better outcome for patients with prearrangement and optimization of patients' conditions.

“I need to highlight the development of robotic anaesthesia as well. New medications, monitoring, computerization, various interventions and education have been the cornerstones of these two very twisted fields of medicine, resulting in better health management of the population. Anaesthesiology is incorporated in every hospital activity, except laboratory diagnostics. Our work supports diagnostics, interventions and therapy.”

His professional life is very much connected to the personal one. Although the latter must give way to his work occasionally, with good organization and an understanding family, everything is possible, says prof. Karanović, who is a fond alpine skier and a scuba diver in his spare time, as well as a member of doctors’ choir in Split. Music accompanies him in almost every activity, including walking and reading.