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Doctors from Ukraine study burn care at Parkland
A group of doctors and a nurse from Ukraine spent the month of September in the Parkland burn unit. They are learning the latest burn care techniques and technologies at a time when their country remains at war.
DALLAS - For the last month, Ukrainian doctors have been learning new burn care techniques at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, aiming to take those techniques back to their home country to aid victims of the ongoing war with Russia.
Ukrainian doctors in Dallas
Local perspective:
Since September, several burn specialists and a nurse manager from Ukraine have been shadowing at Parkland Memorial Hospital's Burn Center.
The doctors say techniques learned in Dallas will help them improve care for burn victims injured in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
The trip has been sponsored by the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine, a non-profit charitable foundation supporting health care workers and medical training across Ukraine.
The doctors have been aided by Alina Ruiz, R.N., a Ukrainian-born nurse who has worked at Parkland for over 20 years.
Parkland Hospital's Burn Center is the only burn center certified in North Texas for adult and pediatric care. Pediatric General and Burn Surgeon Kyrlo Voronezhski says with so many of the war's victims being children, the pediatric care learned will help greatly back home.
What they're saying:
"To be here and to connect with great specialists and to have the ability to see the best quality of burn care… it's a great chance for us," Roman Chornospsychuk, M.D., tells FOX 4's Shaun Rabb.
"Every day, we see something here," Anton Kovalensky, M.D., said. "It's very important for us that we can share that experience that we take here to Ukraine."
Mandell (L), Chornospsychuk (M) and Kovalensky (R)
Sam Mandell, the Burn Center's medical director, says the Ukrainian doctors have seen a great range of treatments during their time in Dallas.
"From new skin cell suspension techniques to microsurgeries to dermal replacements…" Mandell said. "They get to see what I'm doing. I get to talk to them about what they would do or how they might handle a case. It's really been more of an exchange than anything else."
"I even got some Ukrainian clothing out of it, which is awesome," Mandell laughed.
Nurse Manager Sofia Mavdryk says she's learned a lot to help her 45-bed unit in Ukraine.
Ruiz says she still has family members who live in Ukraine as the war continues. On helping her home country from so far away, Ruiz said, "For me, it's felt very special. I feel like my personal life and culture and who I am professionally have come together."
What's next:
The team of Ukrainian doctors are scheduled to leave Dallas on Friday, and will return to Ukraine on Monday.
The Source: Information in this story comes from Parkland Hospital and interviews with the Ukrainian doctors.