OU Health and Razom Expand Humanitarian Surgical Training Program for Ukrainian Physicians

OU Health welcomed its fifth and largest cohort of nine Ukrainian surgeons this month, significantly expanding its humanitarian training program to include specialists from four surgical disciplines now critical for treating complex trauma injuries. The program — the only one in the U.S. offering international surgeons hands-on surgical privileges — has added oculoplastics and orthopedics to its existing specialties of head and neck surgery and neurosurgery.

The month-long program (April 14–May 10), known as Operation Ukraine, provides training for surgical specialists treating patients with complex traumatic injuries. Many of the physicians work in challenging conditions with limited resources.

The surgeons in this cohort, representing military medical centers from across Ukraine, including facilities in Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa and Vinnytsia, will apply their advanced training to address critical battlefield injuries. They will stay with Oklahoma host families, fostering professional and cultural exchange.

The exchange is made possible through a collaboration with Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit that provides funding for travel, stipends, and administrative coordination.

The program coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, a pivotal event that defined the "Oklahoma Standard" of community resilience and compassionate response in times of crisis. This spirit of service is embedded in OU Health's physician exchange program.

"As the U.S. commemorates 30 years since the Oklahoma City bombing, this collaboration represents international medical solidarity," said Alex Domaradsky, observership coordinator for Razom. "This shared effort underscores the importance of humanitarian medical training to improve patient care worldwide."

Led by OU Health facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon Mark Mims, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, the program provides Ukrainian physicians with hands-on training in the operating room and in the surgical skills lab.

"Working side-by-side with my Ukrainian colleagues to bring leading-edge surgical techniques to Ukraine has been the deepest honor of my professional career," said Dr. Mims. "OU Health is committed to establishing itself as a premier international training center for surgeons from conflict zones. This program enables these dedicated medical professionals to gain invaluable surgical experience that will directly enhance their ability to perform complex procedures under challenging conditions."

This initiative builds upon the success of previous cohorts, which have already trained 15 Ukrainian surgeons over the past two years, with 10 more expected later in 2025. The expanded program represents OU Health and Razom’s continued commitment to global surgical education and humanitarian outreach.

OU Health will host a Grand Rounds session on April 30, 2025, where the Ukrainian surgeons will share their experiences and discuss how their training will improve war-related trauma care in Ukraine.

Dr. Volodymyr Salamashchak, an oculoplastics specialist from the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Western Region in Lviv, said the training at OU Health will fill the critical gaps in treating patients in Ukraine.

“This training will allow me to develop critical skills for treating eyelid and orbital trauma, which are unfortunately common in wartime injuries,” he said.

Dr. Mykola Zhuzhoma, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon from Kharkiv, emphasized the value of training with surgeons thousands of miles from the conflict.

"In our hospitals, we're sometimes operating during air raid sirens, with limited equipment and difficult patient transfers,” Dr. Zhuzhoma said. “Here, we can learn in a controlled environment, taking time to master techniques that we can then adapt to our challenging circumstances. The willingness of OU Health physicians to share their expertise shows a true humanitarian spirit that transcends borders."

Operation Ukraine began in 2022 when Dr. Mims learned about Razom for Ukraine and Face to Face, the humanitarian arm of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (AAFPRS) during a medical trip where American surgeons collaborated with Ukrainian doctors on complex procedures. Since 2022, AAFPRS has conducted four medical trips to Ukraine in partnership with Razom.

Recognizing the need for further training, Dr. Mims partnered with Razom to launch the observership program. By May 2023, the first group of Ukrainian surgeons arrived in Oklahoma.

For more information or to support Operation Ukraine, please visit the OU Health website and the Razom Co-Pilot project website.