Achieving Everything in My Career and Taking the Next Step

The Backstory of the Move

Our move to Dubai wasn’t driven by urgent necessity or external factors, but rather by a desire for something more. My husband and I are from Saint Petersburg, and while I truly love the city, its future didn’t paint a joyful or fulfilling picture for me. I’ve always wanted more. My husband shared this feeling. We traveled a lot and considered various options for living abroad.

I was curious to challenge myself: could I adapt to a new country, live somewhere different, and learn something new? I had no professional issues in Russia—I was thriving as a plastic surgeon in Saint Petersburg, specializing in aesthetic blepharoplasty and endoscopic facelifts. I always had a steady stream of patients and knew how to manage the flow of clients.

In my career, I had reached a physical limit—I was performing around 45 surgeries a month, and that was the maximum I could handle. At that point, the question “What’s next?” became relevant, and that’s when I decided to try my hand in another country.

Exam Preparation and Taking the Test

The preparation process for the exam in Dubai took me about six months. The mentors from “Volna” assisted me at every step, from gathering documents to preparing for the exam. However, I would recommend that my colleagues prepare for exams in their home country while continuing to work. This approach helps avoid unnecessary anxiety and stress. In Dubai, in addition to preparing for the exam, there are also practical issues to consider, such as finding housing, adapting your family, and planning the budget.

There were also challenges with Russian authorities—delayed responses to requests, bureaucracy. Without the support of Volna, I simply wouldn’t have managed. The mentor from the company guided me through each step, and this truly helped me navigate the entire process without unnecessary stress.

Moving with the Family

We moved to Dubai as a family, which brought its own set of challenges. One of the most important decisions was choosing the right education system for our son—we spent a lot of time figuring out which kindergarten would be the best fit for him. Eventually, we found one with a program where half of the day is taught in English and the other half in Russian. It was important to me that our child didn’t forget his native language, especially considering the experiences of friends whose children returned to Russia and faced difficulties adapting to the local school curriculum.

On a practical level, we also faced challenges—we weren’t sure which neighborhood would be best to live in, how to organize the rental process, and where the schools were located.

The Outcome

I obtained my license in Dubai and began working at one of the clinics. Currently, I have only a few patients, but this is a normal process for a doctor in a new country. My main focus is on building my client base, which I’m already familiar with. When I moved from Western Siberia to Saint Petersburg, I also started from scratch.

Here, however, I found myself working in cosmetology, whereas in Russia I was a plastic surgeon. It’s a step down in terms of specialization, but the quality of life in Dubai is significantly higher, and I’m willing to be patient until I can return to practicing my primary profession.

A Day in the Life of a Doctor in Dubai

Our day starts early. My husband and I take turns dropping our son off at kindergarten, and then my workday begins. If I have appointments at the clinic, I head there; if not, I focus on creating content for my online school and working with students. This could take place at the clinic or in a coworking space, where I can work comfortably on my laptop.

At 5 p.m., we pick up our son and spend time together as a family—dinner, a walk, or a trip to the beach. Sometimes we go to the pool or do some sports. Overall, I really enjoy this rhythm of life—it’s balanced and gives me the opportunity to combine work with personal life.

New Goals

My main goal right now is to return to plastic surgery in Dubai. It will take some time, but I am ready to take action and work towards making it a reality. It will take about three years to obtain a plastic surgery license here.

In the meantime, I am actively working on developing my online school for doctors and leading educational courses. This is also an important part of my professional life, and I plan to continue expanding this area as well.