MB ChB Cape Town 1955, MD 1969; MSc Manch 1978; FRCOG 1980; Hon FFFP 1995.
Elstein was born and educated in Cape Town, South Africa where he held junior positions until 1957. Elstein spent some years in South Africa as a general practitioner where he developed his interest in obstetrics and gynaecology. In 1961 Elstein moved to London where he held obstetric appointments at Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital, Hammersmith Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital, where he also lectured. In 1970 Elstein was appointed senior lecturer in human reproduction and obstetrics at Southampton University, being promoted to reader in 1976. In 1977 Elstein was appointed professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University Hospital of South Manchester. From 1993 he was head of the academic departments of obstetrics and gynaecology at St Mary's Hospital and Withington, which were later integrated. In 1995 Elstein became executive director of the Institute of Medicine, Law and Bioethics at the Universities of Manchester and Liverpool. Elstein was a member of the Royal Society of Medicine and the North of England Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society, among others.