Dr. Karim Ghanim - finding a new home
Fleeing the death penalty in Iraq set Dr Karim Ghanim on a long journey that led him to being able to set up his own medical practice in Perth.
Learn MoreIf Dr Emad Eyal Salman was looking for a challenge, he certainly found it moving halfway around the world and starting a new dental practice.
5 minutes
It's true that boredom can be a great motivator. Dr Emad Eyal Salman is proof of this, admitting that boredom has driven him across the world and into his dental career here in Australia. “I get bored easily,” he laughs. “I'd rather do something challenging, something different.”
After training in his native Jordan, Australia caught his eye as an attractive place to live and work. He did all the necessary exams to qualify, then spent two years contemplating and debating whether he should start again over here. “I was travelling around Abu Dhabi when I decided I was bored and I didn’t want to do this anymore. I needed something and somewhere different.”
Change is coming
Dr Eyal Salman had a few options when he finished high school, but found himself drawn to the difficult. “I like challenges. I think dentistry was the option that seemed more challenging and difficult.”
Both his sister and one of his cousins had studied dentistry, so he knew it could be a rewarding career. “There are a lot of little things that are more rewarding than money in this profession, and give you the satisfaction that you are on the right path.
“I enjoy the attention to detail in dentistry. I love the feeling of when you finish a big treatment. I also like it when you treat somebody’s pain in a very empathetic and approachable manner after they have walked into your clinic. Hearing little words like ‘Wow, it didn't hurt. It's not the same experience I've had in the past with other dentists’ is way more rewarding than anything else you may expect in return.”
He started working with his sister in Abu Dhabi, which was fun, but that urge for a new challenge came back. “I was looking for a change,” he says. “I just decided at some point, ‘I'm bored, what am I going to do? What are my options?’ And Australia was one of them. I was ready to move so I packed my bag and moved to Brisbane.”
Stepping up
Of course, chasing a challenge and running from boredom can be a double-edged sword. He found that out when, after working as a contractor dentist in Australia for a while, he started thinking about having his own practice.
“I thought maybe it's time to take that next step and start to learn about it and see if I like it,” he admits. “I thought, if I don't like it, I can just go back to being a contractor. Luckily, it has turned out to be way better than I initially thought, although I did start the practice during COVID last year, which was a very challenging time to be starting any new business.”
He decided to seek finance from BOQ Specialist because he already had enough challenges to deal with, and he was confident they were going to make the money side of things easier for him. “I got my residential mortgage with BOQ Specialist when buying an apartment and it was a great experience,” he says.
“I did explore other options this time, but I found BOQ Specialist always ticked all the boxes, and they finalised all the paperwork and everything within a good timeframe. No delays at all and with very clear communication.”
While Dr Eyal Salman was investigating finance options for his new practice, he also began to think about investing in property (as he says, he likes a challenge). “It’s always difficult when you're starting a new business,” says BOQ Specialist’s Liam Pahl. “But after six months, Dr Eyal Salman was thriving. So, with some information from his accountant we were able to start a pre-approval, and he ended up buying a new residential property soon after. The key difference with BOQ Specialist is that we really get to know our clients and what they want to achieve, both professionally and personally. That way, we ensure we get the best outcome for them.”
New challenges
The biggest challenges Dr Eyal Salman faced were around the uncertainties that come with opening your own practice.
“The area where I've started the practice is quite crowded with many practices who have solid patient bases," he says. "So that was one of the biggest challenges; ‘How do I create an appropriate presence in that market?’
“The second challenge was managing people. In the past, I would do my work and go home and have nothing business related to worry about.
"Now, I have to consider others and while handling issues that arise can be challenging at times, I am very lucky with the staff I have. We're more like a family and have even become friends outside work as well.”
Thinking about starting or growing your practice? Click on the link to find out more about our tailored financial solutions for setting up a practice.
Ready to take the next step? Contact us to find out how we can tailor a practice finance solution for you, or call us on 1300 160 160.
