Member Spotlight: Galina Serdtsev, PA-C

Recently, it was one of our members’ birthdays, Galina Serdtsev.  She is an amazing skilled derm PA that has been practicing for many years.

Here is an interview I had with her, previously, that I want to share with you to celebrate her. 

Also, to remind us to be grateful to be in our profession and remember each of our journeys on how we got here…”HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GALINA 🎉!”

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Have you ever wondered how some of us got to where we are in derm?!

Dermatology is a competitive profession to get into.

Do you ever stop and think...”Gosh!!! I am sooo crazy lucky to have landed in this specialty and do what I do!!!”

I know I do.

Each of us has a story.

How in the world did we get here?

Well, one of the reasons I created this group is to inspire & share personal stories on how we got where we are. To give motivation to those who feel stagnant...Give strength to those who feel unsupported...Give affirmation to those who are doubtful.

So I asked one of our expert members, Galina Serdtsev, to share her story. She has been a big contribution to the group and I hv been just simply impressed with the amount of knowledge and experience she has been so gracious to provide.

Thank you, Galina, for taking the time to do this!

You’re such an inspiration!

Everyone, meet.......GALINA SERDTSEV, PA-C

• Introduction:

Hello everyone! I am honored that Theresa Talens has asked me to introduce myself within this group. My name is Galina Serdtsev, and I am Physician Assistant that has been practicing for 18 years, majority of this time in dermatology with some time in plastic surgery. I am first generation Russian American, and the first in my family to obtain any college or post graduate education. My grandparents fled communist Russia in the 1930s in hopes of preserving their Christian Orthodox beliefs. At that time, the Russia government banned any form of spiritual/ religious beliefs, churches were being burnt to the grounds and anyone found to even be possessing any type of religious text or object would be punished by death. Some fled into the deep, remote parts of Siberia. While others, like my family, fled into China, only to settle along the very poor and desolate parts of this country. Initially the Chinese government allowed the Russian immigrants into their country, as they proved themselves to be hard working group of people that brought cheap labor into their country. Eventually the Chinese government began selling the asylum sending Russian immigrants back to the Russian government. From China to Brazil to ultimately making their way up to the United States, where they gained sponsorship through U.S. farmers in return for much needed farm labor. I started working farm fields at age 5, held a job all through high school, college and grad school. I did my undergraduate studies at Oregon State University, and my PA studies at Des Moines University, graduating in 2003. I am proud to say that my family is the true definition of what the American dream was made of. They came with only the clothes on their backs, and through hard work and determination, they were eventually able to provide us with a comfortable living. I have a deep understanding and appreciation for what my family has gone through, and is what keeps me truly inspired today.

• How Did I End Up in Dermatology?

As a PA student, I never envisioned that I would end up practicing in dermatology. I had this misconception that this specialty appeared to be quite boring; treating acne and warts all day long, and could not possibly be my lifelong career pathway. I was very much interested in surgery, performing any procedures, and spent all my elective rotation time in the operating room. The OR Nurses loved me as I was always willing to stay over time just to be involved in any extra suturing. Admittedly, as much as I loved the OR, I did not love all the highly unpredictable hours, nights, weekends and on call time. I desired a specialty with better long term work life balance. I actually ended up in dermatology completely by FATE. Yes, I am one of those!!! I had taken a complete leap of faith and moved to Florida after I graduated from PA school, not knowing a soul out there and before I had a job lined up. Boy, we’re so much bolder when we’re younger! I sold everything that I owned (which was not much), and this bought me enough time to land a couple job opportunities. One of these opportunities just so happened to be in dermatology. Honestly, I only applied and agreed to an interview simply to practice my interviewing skills. It wasn’t until the actual day of the interview that I truly realized what a great specialty dermatology really was! I never realized how procedurally involved that I could be within dermatology and still maintain some sort of work life balance. I was offered the position that week, accepted and 18 years later I am fortunate enough to say that I still love what I do! I currently practice in Henderson, Nevada. 25% of my time is spend working in collaboration with the MOHs Surgeon, performing MOHs Closures, another 15% performing routine complex dermatologic surgeries and remaining 60% seeing general dermatology patients.

• What Surgical Training Did I Get?

I definitely took advantage of all my elective PA time in rotations that allowed students do the most that they could. Heavy in the operating room, as that’s where you really have the opportunity to get a lot of suturing experience. My dermatological surgery/MOHs reconstructions training was on the job training, starting as a new grad PA. I made it my mission to be involved in any derm/surg training opportunity, even if it meant staying late, coming in on a day off (I have almost always worked four 10 hr days) or come in on weekends. I also readily accepted my derm/surg training day as a non-production day, meaning I would only get paid my base salary and no production during this training time. Always understand that it costs the practice money, time and energy to train new hires, especially new graduates. What my training looked like: I started out assisting the Mohs surgeon, as the MA typically would do when they assisted them. As I assisted them, this was actually a great time to teach. During this time, she taught me how to analyze the skin for closures, how to envision the skin would move once you mobilized it and how it affects the other surrounding structures once the incisions are made. During the assisting phase, I started with top suture placement only which eventually led to deep suture placement. As my skills improved, she started allowing me to evaluate and plan the closures with her directly in room for oversight and agreement to my plan, which, over time, led to her assisting me performing the procedures from start to finish. I probably performed a couple thousand skin procedures from neck down before I ever started working on any locations neck up. I don’t know that this is considered norm as I’ve honestly not had the opportunity to collaborate with other derm/surg PA/NPs, as this seemed to be a new area when I first started as a PA. I am honored that the MOHs Surgeons that I worked with have entrusted me to work in collaboration with them in this subspecialty that I love!

• Why I Joined The Surgical Dermatology NP/PA FB Group?

I still feel like I am somewhat of a unique breed of PA/NPs in this niche subspecialty within a specialty! And, I honestly still do not know how many Derm Surg PA/NPs are out there today (I’d love to find stats on this)? So, I am extremely excited to meet others that do what I do! To grow and learn from others, whether that be a new skill, a helpful pearl, to improve from the business aspect, contracts, and to encourage other fellow PA/NPs that may want to be involved in performing MOHs closures one day.

• Favorite Surgical Pearl:

Always know, understand and respect the anatomical location in which you are working in and be prepared to handle a worst case scenario. Know your comforts levels and discomfort levels.

• Advice to Newbies:

Always be willing to go above and beyond in order to learn what you are most passionate in learning. Medicine does not have punch card, and our days are almost always unpredictable. Be willing to come in early, be willing to stay later, be willing to come in on your day off and/or whatever it takes simply to prove your strong desire to learn. Develop a deep understanding that it takes much time, energy and money in order to train you. It’s a relationship, and they are investing in you, in hopes that you will give them greater return in the long run. I inserted myself into every learning capacity, and people will notice when you are always present. It was my passion and commitment that first got me noticed, but it was all that and my skill level that eventually kept me there.

• Who Am I Outside My Professional Life?

I am a retired national level women’s lightweight bodybuilding competitor, who competed on/off from 1998-2007. Although I am no longer competing, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a lifelong commitment that’s part of my daily routine. Outside the gym, I am a big nature lover, and love being surrounded by the complete solitude of mountains, rivers, lakes, trails and the simplicity of God’s country. I also enjoy traveling and learning about other cultures and history. Most of my international travels are typically high paced trips that include a mix of history, culture emersion and nature excursions. I also dabble with some real estate on the side and have 2 wonderful dogs that know how to warm my heart.

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Thank you, Galina, and hope you had an amazing birthday!

Best,

Theresa Talens DNP, FNP-C

P.U.L.S.E. Dermatology & Procedures, Inc.

Where we believe in Precision. Ultimate Care. Leverage. Skills. Excellence.