As some Soviet doctors emigrated along with other Jews in the Seventies, both American and Israeli doctors who were trying to help them adjust to foreign medical systems were surprised to find Soviet doctors generally less qualified than they had expected.

By 1970, the Soviet Union had the highest ratio of doctors to population in the world — 23.8 doctors for each 10,000 persons (compared to 15.8 in the U.S.).

Travel is cheap. A Russian can ride a train or plane 1,000 miles and spend only 50-60 rubles ($66-80).