Observerships for Ukrainian Doctors
Through a unique partnership, HUG, GMKA, and the Harvard Scholars-at-Risk (SAR) program have established an innovative initiative, the Harvard-HUG Medical SAR program, to sponsor medical practitioners from Ukrainian academic institutions who develop transferrable medical skills via observerships at Harvard-affiliated hospitals and disseminate this learning with colleagues upon return to Ukraine.
Invited scholars study at hospitals with committed mentors and supervisors of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s network for 1-3 months developing the knowledge and skills necessary to advance the capacity for improved medical care and services in their country. The overarching aim of this initiative is to foster regeneration and reform for medical infrastructure and care in Ukraine, addressing both acute and long-term needs for the country’s health care system.
In November, the Harvard-HUG inaugural SAR Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) was established in effort to ensure this initiative addresses the most crucial needs of the Ukrainian health care system through monthly discussions of objectives and outcomes to enhance health care and delivery for Ukraine.
So far seven Ukrainian doctors from seven different specialities have participated in the program.
The HUG-SAR team looks forward to supporting observerships for the next round of clinicians in the fall, which includes a cardiac surgeon, cardiac anesthesiologist, two transplant surgeons, hematologist, burn specialist, a team of plastic surgeons, and a team of obstetricians and gynecologists. Thank you to our partners and the many philanthropists that help to support this program.
Please see below individual highlights on the clinical scholars who participated in the program.
Dr. Dariia Simchuk is an anesthesiologist and she came to Boston primarily to study regional anesthetic blocks used for orthopedic operations, a skill that can greatly contribute to the positive management of war wounds in Ukraine. As the co-founder of the medical educational platform “Progress” that she founded with a classmate in university, Dr. Simchuk organizes educational events for Ukrainian doctors, which includes seminars, conferences, and master classes. Through the platform, she also shares evidence-based information on medicine, such as translations of American and European medical guidelines. Dr. Simchukis actively implementing what she learned during her observership back in Ukraine and as an educator, especially through her platform, is in a position to disseminate the skills and observerships she made in Boston with a number of Ukrainian medical clinicians, including her colleagues and trainees.
Dr. Veronika Patsko is a medical oncologist from Ukraine who came to Boston to study Gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. She observed pre- and post-treatment management for cancer patients and learned additional evidence-based practices toward establishing solutions for complications of oncological care exacerbated by the war. In addition, seeing how patients in Boston asked informed questions that accelerated medical intervention and garnered earlier treatment, Dr. Patsko became interested in the concept of patient education. She feels certain that this model and approach will benefit patients in Ukraine, fostering an understanding, for example, about why early diagnosis is important and of what symptoms to be aware. Now, back in Ukraine, Dr. Patsko is supporting an upcoming conference in Kyiv with educational lectures from Doctors from abroad for patients to better understand their medical condition and best habits to promote improved health.
Dr. Vadym Vus is a rural family doctor that leads the FOCUS POCUS ultrasound team in disseminating the broader application of ultrasound techniques known as POCUS – Point of Care Ultrasound. This method of ultrasound, which is used for rapid diagnosis especially in emergency situations, allows for much more immediate initiation of proper treatment. His time and studies in Boston granted him further research in the use of POCUS and advanced ultrasonographic techniques. He also deepened his understanding of the work of primary healthcare (PHC), emergency room (ER) medicine, mobile medical care, nurses and team collaboration, and wound care in the United States (U.S.) to potentially reproduce observed experiences back in Ukraine.
Dr. Sofiya Hrechukh is a psychiatrist from Ukraine with experience working in both inpatient psychiatric hospitals, correctional facilities, and outpatient settings. Since the invasion of Ukraine and resulting war, the civilian hospitals must manage both civilian and military populations and care for physical and emotional trauma in numbers not previously experienced. This has led to a recognition of need for an integrated consult-liaison (CL) model, where a psychiatrist proficient in this area serves as an advisor and participant to patient care in a medical/surgical hospital. Dr. Hrechukh studied this model in Boston and now as the newly appointed Director of the Psychiatry Department in Lviv, can build a first of its kind CL program in Ukraine.
Heal Ukraine Group: Fundraiser for the Harvard-HUG Scholars-at-Risk program
HUG webinar with the Ukrainian clinical scholars of the SAR program 4/3/23
HUG webinar with the Ukrainian clinical scholars of the SAR program 2/10/23
SAR Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)
Volodymyr Artyomenko, MD, PhD
Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Odessa National Medical University and Odessa Maternity Hospital. Co-founder in the Ukraine Department of Simulation Medicine and Educational-Innovation Centre for the Physicians’ Practical Training at Odessa National Medical University serving for several years as the Chairman and Director and until now as acting trainer for the residents and postgraduate OB/GYN specialists. Dr. Artyomenko’s focuses are Fetal pathology and placenta condition, preterm labor, PROM, PPROM, EPPROM, infections and their consequences, ultrasonography, endocrinological and oncological OB/GYN issues, Adolescent Gynecology, fertility preservation for malignant and benign conditions, gut and vaginal microbiome, polycystic ovary syndrome, menstrual disorders and endometrium problems, including teenagers, Simulation Medicine and Training in medical education, resulting as author, coauthor and reviewer of numerous books, chapters, articles, thesis, lectures, trainings, masterclasses etc.
Iryna Mykychak, MD, MPH
Dr. Mykychak is an advisor of the Prime Minister of Ukraine and the Director for the Coordination of Government Authorities of the Mental Health Coordination Center of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. From April 2017 to December 2019, following an open competition, she was appointed Director of the Health Care Department of the Lviv Regional State Administration. She ensured the leading participation of medical institutions in the Lviv region in the reform of the medical sector of Ukraine. Dr. Mykychak is a co-founder and coordinator of several successful international projects that cooperated with the World Bank, WHO, the United States Agency for International Development, UNICEF, and other projects in the perinatal care reform field, family medicine, cancer prevention, and public health. She is also the founder of the unique regional education program “School of a successful medical manager”. Dr. Mykychak was awarded the honorary title of Honored Doctor of Ukraine by the President of Ukraine (2007), the Certificate of Honor of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2021), and the awards of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine (2022).
Andriy Beznosenko, MD, PhD, MBA
Dr. Beznosenko is the Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology of Abdominal Tumors at the National Cancer Institute;President of the Ukrainian Society of Clinical Oncology; Executive director and board member of the National Association of Ukrainian Oncology; National representative of the European Society of Coloproctology and Chief Expert of Oncology for the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
Oleh Berezyuk, MD
Dr. Berezyuk is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist, and the Director of psychological direction and psychosocial rehabilitation at Unbroken, First Medical Union Hospital Lviv. In addition, he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Lviv National Medical University. Dr. Berezyuk has prior experience working at the Lviv City Council, where he was the Head of the Mayor Administration Department from 2007 to 2012. Starting in September of 2012, he worked as the Director of the Department of Humanitarian Politics and acting Deputy Mayor of Lviv for Humanitarian Issues.
Orest Suvalo, MD
Dr. Suvalo is a psychiatrist, CEO of the Institute of Mental Health at Ukrainian Catholic University, and coordinator of CBMHS development of the "Mental health for Ukraine" project. He took active part in developing Ukraine’s national mental health care strategy, which he presented together with other specialists this draft document to the Ministry of Health. After a civic discussion, it was finalized and is now called “The Concept of an Integrated State Program for Mental Health Care in Ukraine for the Period to 2030.”
Vitalii Sokolov, MD
Dr. Sokolov is a thoracic surgeon and Head of the Infectious Diseases Department of Kyiv city clinical hospital.
Gregory R. Ciottone, MD, FACEP, FFSEM
Dr. Ciottone is President Emeritus of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine, and an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is an Instructor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH), and the Founding Director of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Fellowship in Disaster Medicine. Dr. Ciottone also serves as the Director of Medical Preparedness for the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University, a joint program of the HSPH and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and sits on the faculty committee for the Harvard University Scholars at Risk program. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the American College of Emergency Physicians.Support the People of Ukraine
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