Academic Background

M.D. (summa cum laude), Moscow Medical Academy, 1998

Postdoctoral Training

Tufts New England Medical Center, Residency in Anesthesiology, 2000-2003
Tufts New England Medical Center, Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, 2003-2004

Choosing the right medical specialty was a serious matter for me.  In medical school I was drawn to many fields of medicine:  cardiology, pulmonary and critical care, nephrology and acid-base status, etc. At last, I did my rotation in anesthesia, and all became clear - this would be my career path.

A story that a surgery professor told me left an indelible impression on my memory:  "4,3,2,1 minute left...  In the 1970's in Russia, when anesthesiologists were not able to perform split-lung ventilation, these numbers were extremely important.  They were pronounced aloud in the OR and determined the boundaries of the apneic period the patient could tolerate during pulmonary operations.  After the countdown reached zero, the surgeons had to stop operating in order for the anesthesiologist to hyperventilate the patient. Throughout the surgery, this sequence of events was repeated over and over."  I was impressed with the fact that nowadays the most technically complex operations in the fields of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery are made possible due to the striking advances in anesthesiology.

Anesthesiology also entails the ability to quickly assess problems and make rapid decisions. It cannot exist without accuracy and attention to many details at one time.  This specialty is focused on short-term, yet intense, physician-patient relationships, when you have just a few moments to make contact with a patient whom you may have never seen before, gain his or her confidence, and ease the stress.  Even a few words, combined with a thoughtful attitude, can make a difference and assist healing.  Volunteering as a member of the medical relief group in the Chernobyl-affected zone, I realized how important well-organized team-work is and leaned how to communicate and collaborate with people of different backgrounds and personalities.

I welcome new residents and students to be participants in this challenging, exciting, and ever evolving field.  To teach is to share.  I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge and skills with new residents as well as learning from them and my colleagues.