Sergey Matsuk: “This is hard male work …”

The name Sergey Matsuk has come to represent tenacity and commitment. His journey, characterized by perseverance and hard work, is an inspiration to many. His story highlights the difficulties men encounter in physically demanding jobs in a world where gender norms are continuously changing.

Although such work is frequently overlooked, Sergey stresses how important it is to recognize the courage and tenacity needed. While he doesn’t sugarcoat the difficulties, his narrative also emphasizes the benefits of persevering through hardships.

Men in comparable roles who must strike a balance between the demands of family provision and the weight of responsibility will find resonance in his words. Sergey’s story is not just about work; it’s also about pride, dedication, and realizing that for many people, hard labor performed by men is a necessary part of everyday life.

Title	Sergey Matsuk: "This is hard male work.."
Profession	Builder
Experience	20+ years in construction
Challenges	Physical labor, long hours, precision required
Reward	Satisfaction from completed projects
Advice	Stay disciplined and never stop learning

About yourself, study and work

How did you become interested in the traumatology of children, Sergey Alexandrovich?

I completed my internship in the same specialty after graduating from the pediatric faculty of the Novosibirsk State Medical Institute in 1981. Since then, I have been employed at the City Children’s Clinical Hospital of Emergency Medical Care.

Is it correct to say that they intended to specialize in pediatric traumatology from the start?

– The majority of the time, a person does not know where they will study after graduation.

"A meeting of the pediatric surgery circle will be held on such and such a date," I saw on the institute’s corridor when I arrived to take the entrance exams. It turns out that pediatric surgery is a distinct specialty; I had no idea about it before. Then it dawned on me, "Oh! I’ll go there after I graduate from the institute, though.

After realizing that my studies in pediatric surgery were insufficient, I chose to focus on pediatric traumatology and orthopedics. There were only 40 beds and three doctors in the department back then. There were twelve of us in the group and two more from other groups who also wanted to study traumatology, so they only needed one student. I was the first to be asked where I would like to be assigned, and I just happened to sit closest to the professor. Consequently, chance undoubtedly had an impact on my career.

Is working with kids easier than working with adults?

It is more difficult in some situations and easier in others. Working with children causes fear in many of my colleagues. Although it’s a widely held belief that pediatricians can work as adult physicians, the opposite is actually very challenging.

Children need a different strategy and extra care. An adult can voice grievances, describe what hurts and where, and provide context for the incident. A child cannot say this, especially if they are small.

And how do you escape the circumstance?

– Experience usually helps, but occasionally you have to force parents to divulge information. As time passes and you come to terms with the fact that things are this way and nowhere else, it gets easier to identify typical circumstances. When examining a baby, I always try to get through with it as quickly as possible before he starts to cry—it’sa good sign if he even lets me examine him! We’ve already spoken to the older ones.

Sergey Matsuk highlights the mental and physical difficulties associated with the demanding nature of traditionally male-dominated work in his reflections. He emphasizes how this work, which frequently goes unnoticed or underappreciated, demands resilience, strength, and determination. His viewpoint highlights the importance and worth of these roles and promotes a greater comprehension of the costs and exertions associated with such arduous work.

About mothers and fathers of small patients

– It’s probably challenging to approach every baby. Should a pediatrician be a psychologist as well, or is that not required?

It’s difficult to say. Medical schools do not, in my opinion, teach surgeon psychology in vain. It would be more helpful when speaking with adults than when interacting with children.

Parents sometimes do not quite adequately perceive the situation in which their children find themselves: sometimes they underestimate, sometimes they greatly overestimate. Internet resources are available to everyone today, and moms and dads come to the appointment so "prepared", they read so much that they barely have the strength to survive until the morning. They go to the doctor with the same mess in their heads as on the Internet. There, even a prepared person can find it difficult to understand the reliability of publications, and an unprepared person – even more so. I immediately see that the situation is relatively harmless, and the child will be healthy after a short time, but the parents come with the attitude "everything is lost, life is over".

Some parents behave indifferently, saying things like "it will do" because the child’s entire spine is broken.

Some people indulge in "medical shopping," whereby they see three or four doctors and, feeling satisfied with their progress, leave without finishing the course of treatment.

Additionally, you must communicate with them, ascertain their precise needs, and align yourself with their goals. Thus, over time, all doctors turn into psychologists.

Do parents these days seem to be more anxious?

Possibly. I blame the state of society for this. When I first started working in the early 1980s, everyone knew exactly what would happen to them the day after the day after tomorrow, and life was measured in terms of hours. Our lives are filled with uncertainty these days, and there are an increasing number of unstable, nervous individuals for whom any change from the norm sets off a cascade of negative feelings. They unintentionally apply this to their kids’ health.

About children"s health

There was a small trauma department here with only 40 beds when you started working. And how are things right now?

The department has expanded slightly, with 60 beds at the moment, but naturally, we would like more.

Was there always such a bed scarcity, or has the need for hospital stays increased?

The department’s structure has slightly altered. Previously, we worked "on reception" just two days a week; on the other days, adult hospitals would receive small patients. It then changed to three days, four days, and finally all seven days a week. Of course, though, child injuries are also increasing.

I looked at the data on child injuries over the previous few decades. Patients are now 40% more likely to be hospitalized than they were in the 1990s, and outpatient care is requested ten times more frequently!

What does this have to do with?

– Every year, there are an increasing number of injuries among children. Although this trend is not as noticeable now, it increased by 40% annually during the challenging 1995–1997 years! I think that social unrest and economic instability could be to blame for this. With parents preoccupied with finding a way to survive—some of them even giving in to alcoholism—children are essentially left unattended. Furthermore, accidents occur in unsupervised environments.

I would like to draw attention to the fact that, in addition to other injuries, there has been a discernible rise in fractures. It’s likely that multiple factors are at play at once: environmental degradation and altered nutrition.

Mainly, kids are spending an increasing amount of time watching TV and using computers in a passive manner. They are not as physically mature as they used to be, and instead of just getting back up after falling twenty years ago, a child now breaks.

Have you observed any additional alterations in the developmental pathologies of children?

Many kids, in my opinion, have developed dysplastic traits, such as flat feet and postural abnormalities.

Occasionally, I wonder if this is just a normal evolutionary process. It is difficult to comprehend how 90% of kids have postural abnormalities, such as scoliosis, by the time they are 11 years old. There are numerous flat-valgus foot deformities; in the past, this did not occur. Three or four people never show up for an appointment. It’s possible that humanity is evolving and starting to behave differently, and that’s why I’m trying to treat something that doesn’t require treatment.

Ultimately, a lot relies on the extent of deformation; if it’s not too bad, you should be able to live a long and happy life with it. However, if the deformity is severe enough, the child will eventually need surgery; the earlier treatment is initiated, the better the prognosis using conservative measures. The chances of recovery are greatly increased if action is taken as soon as the child begins to walk. Four or five years old is already too late; many things are irreversible.

About the hospital, equipment and specialists

– Is 60 beds in the department sufficient to provide everyone timely assistance?

Since there were fewer and fewer children in the 1990s, this was sufficient for a considerable amount of time. We still meet the standards today, if we accept them, which haven’t changed since the Soviet era, but not the realities of life. Although we have 60 beds, there are occasionally 90 patients! We try our best to help them; we send them home or place them in other departments where they can receive outpatient care.

Is this related to the strict separation that now exists between adult and pediatric surgery? A very painful situation once arose in Akademgorodok when children with injuries were categorically refused admission by the Central Clinical Hospital of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

– All physicians are certified as adult traumatologists; there is no such specialty as "pediatric traumatology and orthopedics." Pediatric traumatology is not a specialty; however, there is a specialty called "pediatric surgery." I have no doubt that no one would stop "adult" doctors from continuing their education in the pediatric division.

You also don’t want to work with children because they are small, cry, and have emotional outbursts, all of which demand an emotional commitment from the doctor.

– There are not enough beds in your department. What about the tools?

In contrast to the city, we have good equipment. We can conduct surgical procedures under the supervision of an electron-optical converter in our own operating room, which is isolated from the rooms of other surgeons. It also features an X-ray negative operating table. This is a compact X-ray device that we can position as needed. Every step of the procedure can be managed: the physician can insert a pin, for example, press the pedal, and watch the progress of the procedure on the monitor right away.

We also have high-quality power tools, such as saws and drills. Although the equipment seems scary, we don’t have any complaints about it. Every time a new device is required, it is always purchased. Not immediately; instead, you have to go ask, get knocked out, wait, and then you’ll be told, "Leave me alone; you do not have this and you never will." This hasn’t happened in a very long time.

We attempt to treat children conservatively; this is the gold standard in the world of pediatric surgery, as opposed to adult surgery, where injuries are frequently operated on. Additionally, there is no shortage of consumables because we use fewer metal structures and operate less.

And how would you rate the state of pediatric orthopedics and traumatology development in our region?

It seems sufficiently high to me. The standard of pediatric orthopedics across the nation is essentially the same. Of course, there are leading institutions; one is the Children’s Orthopedic Research Institute. Central Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Tourner, St. Petersburg. Priorov in Moscow, which also has a section for kids. However, they also function as research facilities so that we can advance our field and learn new techniques.

Can all kids in Novosibirsk contribute? Do you frequently have to send patients to other cities for medical care?

We send three or four patients a year to the Turner Research Institute in St. Petersburg or the Ilizarov clinic in Kurgan. This doesn’t happen very often, but it does happen. Another point is that parents now have the freedom to select the hospital and physician that best suits their child, and some think that their child will get better treatment in Moscow or overseas. That’s up to them, though.

You don’t seem to be lacking in equipment, but are there not enough doctors?

However, there aren’t enough traumatologists. Women in their retirement and pre-retirement years make up the vast majority of polyclinic specialists; younger workers are dissatisfied with meagre pay. Since 1997, when I started as a chief specialist, we have trained so many doctors that, should they all continue to practice, the city and a portion of the surrounding area would no longer require pediatric traumatologists. However, some people quit medicine entirely, and others opt for simpler specializations.

And you work in a challenging specialty?

Traumatology is an extremely challenging field, particularly when working in a hospital. Plaster cast application during an outpatient appointment in a more straightforward clinic. additionally, placing the bones back in place during surgery calls for physical strength. During the procedure, it can be challenging for the surgeon and the assistant, who occasionally have to hold an 80-kg teen’s leg in the air for two hours.

The shifts can be challenging; an evening with at least 50 people is required, and occasionally 70 or 80 requests.

About primary diagnostics and timeliness of medical care

I am aware that a lot of parents make an effort to show you their child.

– The clinic offers qualified assistance as well. However, a physician in a hospital can easily spend 30 minutes doing an examination; in a clinic, it would take 10 minutes, and then the next patient. This is the reason why parents complain: they look, ask, "Are there any complaints?" and then move on. However, the mother requests a comprehensive examination of the child as well as a thorough discussion with her.

Does this have an impact on the primary diagnostics’ quality?

– In certain measure. Not everything is determined by the physician; parental attitudes also play a significant role. I was approached recently by a parent whose child had been diagnosed over a year ago with congenital hip dislocation. After spending a significant amount of money on several witch doctors and sorcerers, the parents were left with what they had. We are attempting to assist the infant at this point, but it is too late.

Asking the parents if they are aware that their child has flat-valgus feet is a common question. They are aware. What actions did they take? They gave each other a massage.

However, massage is only one of its elements; it is not a treatment in and of itself. Massage is not the most important thing for our patients, and it cannot cure anything on its own. Corrective gymnastics, which we teach parents, orthopedic shoes, different devices (the same orthopedic splints for hip joint pathology), and the belief that massage is the primary means of healing are the main factors.

What guidance would you give parents?

– Compared to Soviet times, their task, of course, has become more complicated. Previously, a child was examined in the maternity hospital at three months (when the child begins to hold his head up), at six months, when he begins to sit, and at one year, when he begins to walk. Now the number of examinations has been reduced to two – at the age of up to three months (when it is still impossible to assess minor foot pathology) and at one year. Orthopedists do not look anywhere in maternity hospitals. But they should, to determine the presence of gross orthopedic pathology, gross clubfoot and flat-valgus foot deformity, some curvature of the limbs, such as congenital hip dislocation.

When issues emerge, watchful parents check themselves and visit a polyclinic or private practice orthopedist. Nowadays, there are many responsible parents and literate young people. The Internet makes people more aware. However, there are also negligent ones: the young child got to his feet, started to walk, and his legs were bent. Long time ago? We didn’t see anything, and the doctors kept us in the dark. You do, however, have eyes.

Have you ever received incorrect diagnoses from coworkers?

– Not often, but it happens. Like, literally today we are discharging a boy – we treated him for two months, and he will have to be treated for a long time. He went to several doctors, and for some reason no one diagnosed him, until the aunt who works for us brought him here. In my opinion, "juvenile epiphysiolysis of the head of the femur" is written on his forehead. His gait was impaired, he limped roughly. And one of our colleagues said: "The boy is fat, go to the pediatricians and lose weight". It"s good that the pediatricians were on top of it, they determined that this was an orthopedic pathology and sent him to get x-rays.

– How are you going to handle this doctor?

We all know one another, so there aren’t many of us. Every two months, we get together in my office to discuss who made a mistake and where, to analyze complicated cases, and occasionally to have consultations. We’ll also examine this situation. Generally speaking, there is an understanding that if the outpatient orthopedists have any questions, they should call, bring their patients in, and we will assist. Though not frequently, they do.

The tale of Sergey Matsuk emphasizes the fortitude, commitment, and tenacity needed in roles that have historically been filled by men. His experiences serve as a reminder that, in any field, success requires a combination of diligence, self-control, and accountability.

It’s critical to acknowledge the psychological and physical obstacles that men encounter in high-pressure employment. These positions can profoundly impact a person’s character and frequently call for sacrifices.

Sergey inspires admiration and respect for people who take on such responsibilities by sharing his insights and providing us with a glimpse into the realities of this challenging work.

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