10:00 06.07.2026
“Everyone was happy to have a new specialist.” How a neurologist from Omsk moved to Yamal
© Photo from Anastasia Ulyanchik’s personal archive
The state program Rural Doctor provides financial support to physicians deployed for long-term assignments in rural or hard-to-reach communities. Those relocating to the Arctic or the Far East receive a one-time payment of one million rubles, with no restrictions on how they spend it.
One participant is neurologist Anastasia Ulyanchik from Omsk. Thanks to the program, she landed a job at a hospital in Muravlenko, in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area.
Read on to learn how a loyal four-legged friend helped her settle into her new home – and about the family ties that connect Anastasia to the Arctic.
Anastasia speaks warmly about her move to the cold Arctic. What stands out most, she says, is her new colleagues: they’re always ready to lend a hand when things get tough.
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Neurologist Anastasia Ulyanchik at work
© Photo from Anastasia Ulyanchik’s personal archive
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Neurologist Anastasia Ulyanchik at work
© Photo from Anastasia Ulyanchik’s personal archive
“I was immediately struck by how positive everyone was – doctors and patients alike. Everyone was happy to have a new specialist,” she recalls.
The only real challenge she faced in Yamal was the harsh climate – though she adapted to the Arctic nature fairly quickly.
“The winter frosts were genuinely hard to get used to, but I solved that with insulated pants. The second challenge, of course, is the white nights in summer. But thick curtains do the trick,” the doctor said with a wry smile.
Her loyal companion – a fluffy Spitz named Jessica – also helped her feel at home.
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A Spitz named Jessica
© Photo from Anastasia Ulyanchik’s personal archive
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Шпиц по кличке Джессика
© Фото из личного архива Анастасии Ульянчик
“This breed has a winter coat, so she’s actually more comfortable in this climate than I am,” Anastasia shared.
When asked how her family reacted to the move, she says they were positive. “They took it very well. They said, ‘Go for it if you want to.’ So I went!”
Anastasia also has family roots in the North. Her mother grew up in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area – in the city of Nadym and the village of Yar-Sale – and also lived for a time in Neryungri, in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
“She told me about the snowy winters. How she rode dog sleds and reindeer sleds,” the doctor recalled.
Maybe that’s why Yamal already feels like home.
