My mom said I was always licking wounds and treating everyone when I was little. When I was accepted into medical school, I knew I wanted to be a surgeon. Then when I did my OB rotation, I really liked pregnant women. I’d say, “Oh, they always have that special glow.” So, from there it became very logical that OB-GYN fit me best.

I got into an OB-GYN program in Kansas City, but decided I did not want to stay there for eight years. Being from Siberia, I remember playing in the snow. And I had two little kids at that time, and I thought, “Oh my poor kids, they are so unlucky they don’t have snow to play in.” I said one morning, “I want to go to Alaska.”

It was a lot of fun starting Denali OB-GYN. It was a great union, and we were starting from nothing. Our philosophy has never changed. We are here for the patient. We are unlike any other practice. We don’t do outpatient care where they just see the nurse practitioner, then the midwife, then we just show up. Providers stick with their patients. We’re there from the beginning of their pregnancy or surgery or care, and they can identify with that. They identify with us. And we identify with them. I think it’s huge.

I help a lot of women with incontinence to help change their life. They go from peeing their pants to suddenly being a free person. I enjoyed fixing uterine prolapse, changing the life of ladies who are so uncomfortable. I do robot surgery as well for women who have complex pathology or might otherwise have a big incision. Robotic dexterity offers access to difficult areas, it can be done with a tiny incision. Women are going home the same day or the next day instead of being in pain for 3-5 days in the hospital. It’s all so rewarding.

Dr. Natalia obtained her medical degree at Novosibirsk State Medical Institute in Russia and practiced obstetrics and gynecology until she immigrated to the U. S. in 1992. After completing her recertification process, she finished her residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology.

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