Surgeons of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are trained in the US

2025-05-25 09:40:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The war in Ukraine has created an extraordinary demand for surgeons specialized in treating war wounds and who are able to perform complex interventions both near the front line and in other hospitals, including civilian ones.

Since the start of full-scale Russian aggression in 2022, over 31,000 civilians have been injured in Ukraine, according to data from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The number of wounded soldiers is even higher.

To learn the most advanced methods of treating war-related wounds, 24 Ukrainian surgeons have undergone a month-long training as part of the "Operation Ukraine" program at the Oklahoma University Hospital in the US, where they not only had the opportunity to observe operations, but also to assist in them - an unprecedented practice in American medicine.

Surgeon and co-founder of the program, Dr. Mark Mims, said that American colleagues have also benefited from the experience of Ukrainian military surgeons.

"In many cases, I feel like we're learning more from them than they are from us. There's a mutual exchange of knowledge."

Surgery in wartime

In 2022, neurosurgeon Oleg Serkiz joined the Ukrainian Army for the second time. With his experience treating soldiers during the conflict in Donbas, he knew well that neurosurgeons often face the most severe wounds of war.

"Head wounds account for only about 5 percent of cases, but they are extremely serious and require a high level of practical skill to save the life of the soldier or civilian patient," he told Radio Free Europe.

Currently, Serkiz works at the Military Clinical Hospital in Kiev, but during his three years of service he has been sent three times to surgical groups near the front line.

Another neurosurgeon, Andriy Tytaniuk, from the Western Region Military Medical Center, says that since 2014, sending neurosurgeons to the front lines has become common practice – and this has significantly reduced mortality from serious injuries.

"If specialized help is provided quickly, the soldier is more likely to survive and recover better," says Tytaniuk.

In addition to war wounds, Ukrainian surgeons also treat degenerative diseases of the spine caused by physical overload – also part of the responsibilities of the military neurosurgical service.

Life-threatening training
The “Operation Ukraine” program, although it lasted only a month, was extremely intensive. Ukrainian surgeons had the opportunity to see advanced interventions such as brain tumor surgery and spinal neurosurgery – difficult but very important interventions for both countries.

The training began in May 2023, with the arrival of the first group in Oklahoma. It was created by Dr. Mark Mims in collaboration with the organization “Razom for Ukraine”.

Tytaniuk notes that the high-tech equipment available to American medicine makes operations safer and faster – a vital need in wartime conditions.

"We learned from local surgeons how to use this equipment, so we can repeat this experience in Ukraine," he said.

But the Americans also benefited. “They are deeply impressed with the difficult conditions in which we work and the results we achieve,” Tytaniuk adds.

Unique right to assist in operations

For the first time in US history, foreign doctors were allowed to assist in surgeries.

"We realized that observation alone was not enough. With the help of the state medical commission and hospital leaders, we obtained permission for Ukrainian surgeons to assist," says Dr. Mims.

"There's a big difference between learning through active participation and standing a few feet away watching from behind," he adds.

Tytaniuk emphasizes that direct experience is essential: "You become a surgeon only when you can clearly distinguish the structures in the surgical field and know how to operate on them to achieve the desired result."

Training of trainers
The main goal of the program is for Ukrainian surgeons to return and spread their knowledge in the country.

"We are preparing trainers – surgeons who will not only operate, but also train the new generation of doctors in Ukraine. The goal is to build a sustainable model of surgical care," explains Mims.

Serkiz and Tytaniuk say that in addition to medical experience, they will also share the organizational practices that make the American system efficient – ??from the quality of resident training to research and documentation.

"There is much to share, including the way education is structured, the organization of hospital processes, and practical training - which differs significantly from our model," concludes Serkiz./ REL