УКР The Leleka Foundation, in partnership with the Center for Operational Medicine at Augusta University, the Department of Health, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian College of Surgeons, has launched an exchange program to offer Ukrainian frontline medics the opportunity to share their real-life experiences in trauma care with their American counterparts.
This program offers U.S. medical professionals working in conflict areas the opportunity to learn from the Ukrainian frontline experience, thereby enhancing their preparedness for similar scenarios in the future. By sharing knowledge, both Ukrainian and U.S. teams will strengthen their capacity to provide adequate care in wartime environments.
Our goal is to facilitate the exchange of clinical insights, share treatment approaches, and build professional connections that support healthcare efforts during crisis conditions.
This unique program highlights the invaluable lessons learned by Ukrainian medics & doctors who work under the extreme conditions of modern warfare. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine provides unmatched insights into war trauma care. Ukrainian medics operate in high-risk environments where they face limited resources, extended evacuation times (sometimes up to 30 hours), and constant threat of enemy fire.
These experiences are vital for understanding trauma care in large-scale conventional warfare, where fire superiority isn’t guaranteed, and medical evacuation may take far longer than expected. The world’s military medical professionals can significantly benefit from learning these battlefield lessons, thereby preparing for future conflicts.
In the first stage of the project, the target audience is U.S. medical professionals working in conflict areas, trauma surgeons, and civilian trauma care experts.
During an hour-long online session, Ukrainian frontline medics share real-world case studies with a focus on specific traumatic cases and critical procedures, offering insights into battlefield medical procedures, triage techniques, and decision-making in high-pressure situations.
Ukrainian medics also receive training and guidance on best practices and standards of care from an expert panel of U.S. doctors and providers. This exchange ensures that both sides benefit from each other's knowledge.