Biography

Dr. Iuliana K. Selaru was born and raised in Romania. She attended the best School of Medicine in Romania on a full scholarship. After moving to the United States, Dr. Selaru spent three years in Diabetes and Nutritional Disorders research at the University of Maryland. During this time, she was involved in basic research, published original articles and came to understand the tremendous impact of preventive strategies in medicine. As Benjamin Franklin aptly put it, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Dr. Selaru started her internal medicine training at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore in 2004 and completed her residency in 2007. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine.

Treatment Philosophy

Starting with medical school, and later during my research period at the University of Maryland, it became more and more obvious that preventive medicine is one of the keys to better medical care and, ultimately, for longer survival and improved quality of life. My training in Internal Medicine at Union Memorial further deepened my conviction that a solid preventive strategy pays big dividends. For example, it may be difficult to treat colon cancer, once it develops, however, finding it or one of its precursor lesions early may make the difference between life and death. Having a colonoscopy performed may be inconvenient, or it may appear that putting it off for a few years is not the end of the world. However, should the cancer develop during this time, it is difficult to rationalize the decision to not have screenings performed rigorously. Over time, I became a firm believer in scheduled, precise and up-to-date screening protocols. In my mind, there is no other way to:

• Make better use of recently published medical advances.
• Be sure that no aspects of preventive medicine are overlooked.
• Ultimately improve the patient’s quality of life and ensure longer life.

It is the scientist’s job to discover new, better and more precise diagnostic tools and strategies. It is the surgeon’s job to surgically eradicate cancers. It is the pharmacist’s job to ensure that the right prescriptions are filled. I believe that a major part of my job is to make 100% sure that all of my patients are enrolled in the most up-to-date screening protocols. It is my goal to implement the most recent medical advances in primary care. In addition, it is my job to assure my patients learn about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, healthy nutrition, and healthy supplements.

My philosophy is that each individual is unique, and therefore medical care should be individualized. The first step, however, is listening to patients, which, in my view, is the key to make an accurate diagnosis and identify the most appropriate treatment approach that would work for the individual in case, not just what would be generally advisable for a group of patients with similar disorders.

To summarize, my treatment philosophy is based on 3 pillars:

• The patient is treated with respect. It is only through this type of approach that I ensure I listen carefully to the patient and that I can focus on individualizing treatment plans based on feedback from patient.
• The treatment plan combines traditional medicine with holistic approaches. I believe that physical health and psychologic health cannot be separated. Therefore, my recommendations may include, depending on the situation, a combination of traditional medical approaches with holistic medicine advice (coaching, nutrition, physical exercise, counseling, and weight loss).
• Preventative medicine is the cornerstone of effective primary care. I believe that the most recent recommendations in regards to preventative approaches, delivered through technological advances and careful individualization forms the basis of effective primary care.