Training Beyond Borders

How hybrid training is increasing capacity for surgeons in Ukraine

Dr. Oleh Antonyshyn has been performing life-saving surgical operations in Ukraine since 2014. Struck by the urgent desire and need for these services, he saw an opportunity to leverage the expertise of Team Sunnybrook to help Ukrainian surgeons. In 2019, the Sunnybrook Ukraine Surgical Education Initiative was established.

In partnership with the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, the initiative involves teams of Canadian volunteer surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and other specialists who work collaboratively with Ukrainian and Polish counterparts. Their efforts are not only focused on immediate medical intervention, but also on teaching and empowering Ukrainian medical professionals.

Given the nature of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, there is high demand for surgeons with craniofacial specialization. Many surgeons there lack the training and technology to provide advanced surgical services. A world-leading craniofacial plastic surgeon, Dr. Antonyshyn and his colleagues have spearheaded five surgical fellowship missions to date.

The role of these missions is to equip surgeons and clinical teams from Ukraine with the necessary tools and education to navigate some of the world’s most complex and critical trauma cases and treat those who require surgery. Funding for these missions comes from Sunnybrook’s generous donor community in partnership with the Canadian-Ukrainian Foundation. Donor support including a generous contribution from the Temerty Foundation is instrumental in supporting Sunnybrook’s continued efforts in Ukraine.

Surgeons work in collaboration and gain the skills required to take on some of the most complex cases.

Dr. Anton Bolotin is a Ukrainian surgeon who has benefited from Sunnybrook’s education and training and sees the impact of this initiative first-hand.

“I’ve worked with the project for many years and have had many opportunities to learn from some of the best surgeons. The team approach and the level of surgeries that are being performed are exactly what we need at the moment. The war is making us see some of the worst traumas imaginable. We have to prepare to deal with anything that is brought our way,” he says.

When the pandemic began, Dr. Antonyshyn and the team began providing virtual training and symposiums. With the escalating war in Ukraine, virtual and hybrid training models have been fundamental to continue delivering education. Team Sunnybrook has helped introduce and evolve three hybrid models, including a micro-surgery teaching program in which students gain surgical practice through an app and receive live feedback from Sunnybrook’s surgical team.

Our model for these missions is fairly unique,” says Dr. Antonyshyn. “We are sharing how to prepare such a program so that others might replicate our success. Without donors, none of this work would be possible.”

Ultimately, the multi-layered approach of the Sunnybrook Ukraine Surgical Education Initiative is designed to build capacity within the Ukrainian medical system. It also ensures medical professionals have the necessary surgical skills and clinical knowledge to meet the country’s needs independently. With support from donors, plans are underway to establish a surgical lab in Ukraine dedicated to further education and training. When Team Sunnybrook navigates complexity and accelerates ideas into action, the results can be life-changing and provide hope for a brighter future to the people of Ukraine.