– Daniel, please tell us your story in America
I grew up in Kharkiv, Ukraine and migrated to Brooklyn, New York in 1998 with my mother and her parents. I then went to college in Florida followed by medical school in Mississippi. I finished my residency in Pediatrics here in Texas and will start practicing medicine in the Austin area.
– How would you describe your occupation and your work?
I am a general pediatrician. I provide medical care to newborns all the way up to nineteen year olds. I currently work in Beansprout Pediatrics in Dripping Springs. I specifically want to reach out to the Russian speaking community and offer my services to those families. I can understand the difficulties that come with being in a foreign system and my aim will be to ease that transition for the parents and children.
– How difficult it was to become a doctor? How long one have to study to become a doctor in USA?
To become a doctor in the USA you have to complete 4 years of college. Take the MCAT which is a medical entrance exam for medical school. After gaining admission it takes another 4 years to finish medical school. After finishing medical school all students are invited to participate in a MATCH program which allows students to pick a residency with a specific specialty to continue their training. I matched in Temple, Texas for a three year Pediatric residency. In total it takes 10-11 years to become a physician here. If someone comes from a different country with a medical degree they would only have to go to residency and pass the American medical board exams.
The hardest part of my training is living through the Covid pandemic from the beginning. I witnessed the fear of the unknown, when nobody knew how this virus would affect the pediatric population. Every day showed a new challenge as we had to discover how to treat it and keep our patients healthy.
– Where did you study?
I went to college at Florida International University in Miami, Florida where I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Biological sciences. I got accepted into William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Following medical school I went to Baylor Scott & White McClane Children’s Hospital for my Pediatric residency program where I recently graduated from.
– Was Austin and Texas your choice or coincidence?
I picked Austin to live and work due to meeting my wife here. After traveling and living in different parts of the country I find Austin to be the perfect mix of cultures, city amenities and nearby nature. It is an expanding city that will offer great growth opportunities in the near future.
– What do you like the most about Austin?
For me the biggest draw to Austin is the Circuits of Americas race track. I am a car enthusiast and love being able to go race there in my car and be near a world renown Formula 1 track and the events that come with it. As a very close second I enjoy the food diversity in the city from middle eastern food trucks to the best quality steak restaurants.
– Tell us more about your family
I came to America with my mother. My maternal grandmother and grandfather moved to the USA a few years before us. We all originally settled in Brooklyn, NY. After sometime we as a family moved to Miami, Fl for the sunny warm weather. I continued my life elsewhere and met my beautiful wife in Austin, TX.
– What else do you like to do beside work?
Apart from medicine I write creative fiction stories and have recently published a collection of short stories. I also am an avid motorsports fan and enjoy learning and participating in the sport with my own vehicle. I have a Dodge Challenger that I have nicknamed “Chelsea” who I race and wrench on when the time allows.
– What else would you like to tell about yourself?
I love Ukrainian cake Napoleon and if someone knows where I could get one in the city that would be amazing!
– What do you think can be improved in Austin?
With how rapidly the city is evolving and growing I wish Austin would expand its roads and public transportation.
– What are your favorite books and movies?
My favorite film is Shawshank Redemption. I love this film because I think it is a magnificent representation of how human hope and perseverance can help men push toward making their dreams a reality.
My favorite book choice is actually a series written by Stephen King called “The Dark Tower”. It follows a roaming adventurer and his misfit crew through the perils of different worlds near the end of their time. It is an excellent series showing the full breath of the human experience.
– What would you like to tell russian-speaking community in Austin?
I wish that the Russian speaking community would come live and expand the culture here. There is an opportunity to live in a thriving city accepting of differences. Everyone I speak with is curious about our way of life and especially our cuisine. I love introducing new friends to the wonderful world of Borscht and Kampot.
Contact information:
Dr. Daniel Dvoskin
Tel. 786-859-2557
E-mail: Danieldvoskin36@gmail.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.miata