GMKA and Mass General Brigham Experts Strengthen Trauma Care in Ukraine with Free Virtual Training
As Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine continues, the growing number of severely injured patients places extraordinary strain on the country’s healthcare system. In response to this urgent need, the Global Medical Knowledge Alliance (GMKA), together with experts from Mass General Brigham (MGB) — U.S. leaders in trauma and critical care — launched a free virtual training program, “Advanced Course on Polytrauma and Organ Support.”
Developed at the direct request of Ukrainian doctors treating both military and civilian trauma cases, the course was delivered through expert-led webinars, providing advanced training in managing complex injuries — including traumatic brain injury (TBI); facial, tracheal, bronchial, hepatic, esophageal, cardiac, and pelvic trauma; and acute kidney failure. Participants also learned strategies for strengthening interdisciplinary teamwork and clinical decision-making in resource-limited, high-pressure environments.
“Wartime polytrauma often means multiple injuries sustained under nonstandard and extreme conditions,” said Nelya Melnitchouk, MD, MSc, FACS, Academic Director of the course, Surgical Oncologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, USA), and GMKA Co-founder.
“This course — developed with Mass General Brigham experts — was created specifically to meet the needs of Ukrainian physicians. It helps them understand the complexity of these injuries and equips them to manage the most challenging and unconventional cases. Mass General experts shared decades of experience and research-based knowledge, and Ukrainian physicians were able to learn directly from them — even while continuing to work near the front lines.”
Nearly 500 Ukrainian medical professionals — including anesthesiologists, surgeons, emergency and internal medicine specialists, nurses, paramedics, and combat medics — enrolled in the program to strengthen their trauma care skills and apply them in hospitals and field units across Ukraine. A frontline military surgeon shared this reflection:
“It would be naïve to think that applying a tourniquet alone saves a life. Stopping the bleeding is only the beginning. The same goes for packing a liver wound or performing a splenectomy — they’re just the first steps. Real survival depends on what happens next, and this course answers that critical question: ‘What comes after?’ Traditional textbooks simplify trauma — one injury, one organ, one maneuver. But real combat trauma is far more complex. This course addresses that complexity, offering insights and lessons from experts who’ve seen these cases firsthand — before we face them ourselves, maybe even today.”
Expert Faculty
The course was curated by Geoffrey Andrew Anderson, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, Trauma Surgeon and Intensivist, and featured a distinguished faculty from across the Mass General Brigham (MGB) network — global leaders in biomedical research and trauma innovation.
Speakers included:
- Jonathan D. Gates, MD, MBA, FACS – Professor of Surgery, University of Connecticut; Chief of Trauma, Hartford Hospital; former Director of Trauma Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital (24 years).
- Marc A. de Moya, MD, FACS – Professor of Surgery and Chief, Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin; specialist in complex thoracic and cardiac trauma.
- Katherine H. Albutt, MD, MPH – Assistant Professor of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital; expert in critical surgical care and emergency operations.
- Kavitha L. Ranganathan, MD – Director of Craniofacial Reconstruction, Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School; Associate Surgeon, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; specialist in reconstructive surgery for trauma, burns, oncology, and congenital conditions.
Training Overview
The 2.5-month program included 13 expert-led webinars, covering topics such as:
- Intensive Care for Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
- Comprehensive Management of Facial Trauma
- Injuries of the Central Airway: Trachea and Bronchi Under Trauma
- Esophageal Injury: Recognition, Risks, and Repair
- Critical Care Principles in Blunt and Penetrating Cardiac Trauma
- Anesthesia Considerations During Hepatic Injury Repair with Vascular Clamping
- Intensive Care After Successful ED Thoracotomy: Strategies in Acute and Unpredictable Scenarios
- Respiratory Management in Severe Blunt Thoracic Trauma: ICU Perspectives
- Regional Anesthesia of the Face: Optimizing Analgesia in Head and Facial Interventions
- Acute Kidney Injury in Trauma: Tailored Renal Support
- Critical Decisions in Penetrating Pelvic Trauma: Vascular, Visceral, and Skeletal Considerations
- Peripheral Vascular Injuries
- Visceral Vascular Injuries
Following the course, 62% of participants reported implementing new practices in their clinical work. All webinar recordings are now available in both Ukrainian and English on the GMKA YouTube channel, extending the program’s reach to even more medical professionals across Ukraine and beyond.