Magdalena Pomykol-Petryk, MD, is a specialist in hematology and oncology at Northwell Health. While growing up in Poland as the daughter of two doctors, she always envisioned becoming a physician herself, and graduated from the Medical Academy of Bialystok before coming to the United States in 1990. After that, she completed residencies at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and Mount Sinai St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center, followed by a fellowship at Columbia University College. Dr. Pomykol-Petryk chose oncology as her specialty because she wanted to make a difference in the lives of patients suffering from cancer. For her, the most appealing aspect was depth of patient care, which involved entire families and lifelong relationships. "As an oncologist, you have interactions with patients from the very beginning, you get to know them and family members, their lives, what matters to them, and you're truly part of this special bond," she says. "The level of intensity is huge, and that's what I like. I appreciate being able to make a difference in these patients' lives." Though Dr. Pomykol-Petryk sees many breast cancer patients, she also provides care for a variety of malignant hematology cancers including lymphoma, myeloma, and chronic leukemia, as well as non-malignant hematology conditions. She appreciates the high level of collaboration available at Northwell Health, and specifically at Huntington Hospital, where she practices. "Our team is excellent, and patients never feel alone," she says. "It truly feels like we're all one family. We work together so there's a seamless patient experience. Whether you're talking to the check-in person, the phlebotomist, chemotherapy nurses, or me, you'll feel cared for. That's the most important thing to us." What she's learned from her patients is strength, she adds. Getting to know each patient on a deeper, personal level and see their resilience and grace in the midst of a difficult diagnosis and treatment is inspiring, says Dr. Pomykol-Petryk. "We're all so grateful to know these amazing patients and to help them on their journey," she says.
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