Elisa Paraschou grew up in Greece, studied dentistry in Sofia, Bulgaria, and has worked in four different European countries. She currently is working in a private practice in London, focusing on oral surgery and paediatrics. She tells us about her day...
My alarm goes off…
My typical day starts with French toast, honey, a cup of fresh berries and Colombian coffee. Breakfast is a ritual for me. I rise with the sun, so I can lingeringly prepare my meal, which I then calmly enjoy while I read my mail and go through the files of my clinical cases for the day.
My morning commute is rather simple and usually involves the tube, although I always relish a drive around London.
I spend about nine hours a day at work, after which I either exercise or I make time to see friends over dinner.
I got the job!
I studied at the Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria, and in my fourth year I interned voluntarily for an oncology department in maxillofacial surgery.
In the end of my fifth year, I transferred to one of the biggest military hospitals in France and continued working there as an intern, while attending my academic lectures and exams at the same time.
Returning back to Sofia almost a year later, I graduated and worked for a couple of months there, before going back to Greece to work in my family's clinic.
There I worked closely with both my parents over a series of cases, which gave me a rare opportunity to benefit from their wealth of experience and expertise and provided me with valuable clinical knowledge as a professional.
Recently I moved to London to work in the private sector. I have been living here for eight months now.
Greece, Bulgaria, France and now the UK – it's been an amazing journey and I think I've gained valuable insights from working in these different countries, as well as developing my clinical skills.
I am responsible for…
Currently I am working as an associate at a multi-disciplinary private clinic in Central London and I work among specialists in different medical fields, as well as numerous other dentists.
The average flow of the clinic is a couple of hundred patients per day.
My main focus is on oral surgery and paediatric cases in my everyday practice, while I always have a dental nurse on site to facilitate my work, especially when it involves surgical procedures.
The best and worst part of my job…
The most valuable asset I have gained from my job so far is the ability to understand not only how dentistry works in all of the countries I've worked in, but to also experience both the public health system, and the private sector in each of them.
Being involved in a military clinical environment taught me a great deal of dedication and discipline, while working in a private practice has made me responsible and very self-dependent.
I think it is safe to say I have substantially benefited from all the different roles I have done!
I encountered the worst part of my job while working with patients in the oncology department. To say that the psychological burden of being involved in the treatment of terminal stage cancer patients was difficult, would perhaps be an understatement.
After work…
As you may have guessed from my story so far, I enjoy traveling more than anything. I also love learning languages – and am fluent in five and always eager to continue learning new ones!
During the weekend you'll find me staring at a Cézanne at the Courtauld or National Gallery or seated between the charmingly fluffy seats of the English National Opera catching up with new productions.
Other days, I'll just plan trips over an 'oh-so-cliché' brunch, downtown!
I really enjoy taking part in sports, like tennis, skiing, horse-riding and windsurf. I'm a bit of a book worm as well, I love literature, for which I have my parents to thank, as they've always encouraged my passion for reading.
My Plan B?
I would most definitely be in the creative industry – I love design. Who knows, maybe one day apart from dentistry, I'll be talking about jewellery or corporate interior design!
Elisa Paraschou, associate in private practice
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