Dr. Elena Fastovskaya: from repatriation to her own clinic

An interview for Oleg Gurari’s podcast. On moving from Siberia in 1997, on requalifying as a dentist in Israel, on a first surgery of 12 square metres and on why decisions here are made as a team.

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The interview is in Russian

The conversation is recorded in Russian. Below is a short summary of what it covers.

Elena Fastovskaya came to Israel in 1997 with two children and ten years of clinical experience. Her diploma was not recognised, and she was told that requalifying was close to impossible.

She went through an ulpan, passed the entrance exam in Hebrew and travelled daily from Ashkelon to Jerusalem for the preparation course while her first-grade daughter stayed at home alone and reported by phone.

Her first practice was a 12-square-metre room opened with the help of a dental technician, because she had no funds of her own. Two years later a small business loan let her settle with him and work independently; a second loan made a larger clinic possible.

She also talks about the difference between the Russian and the American school of dentistry, about her son Vladimir choosing the profession after the army, and about her current work with an osteopath on balancing the bite.

Set yourself a goal and go towards it. Israel is a country you have to accept. If you accept it, it helps you.