A Record Cohort of Ukrainian Surgeons Starts Humanitarian Surgical Training at OU Health

OU Health, the University of Oklahoma’s academic health system, continues its ongoing commitment to global surgical education by welcoming 17 Ukrainian surgeons for a month-long immersive training program through Operation Ukraine, which began March 22. This cohort is the largest in the program’s history, highlighting the initiative's growing international impact since its launch in 2023.

OU Health’s program is the only U.S. initiative offering international surgeons hands-on surgical privileges, translating knowledge into action. This spring, it has expanded to six surgical specialties, each led by nationally recognized physician leaders. The continued growth reflects OU Health’s dedication to advancing surgical expertise worldwide while supporting a vital humanitarian mission.

Surgical Specialties and Faculty:

• Head & Neck Surgery: Mark Mims, M.D. – OU Health facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon; Assistant Professor, Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
• Neurosurgery: Andrew Bauer, M.D. – OU Health neurosurgeon; Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
• Trauma Surgery:
  • Alisa Cross, M.D., FACS – OU Health Level I Trauma Director; Associate Professor of Trauma Surgery, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
  • Emily Switzer, M.D. – OU Health trauma surgeon; Associate Professor of Trauma Surgery, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
• Oculoplastics:
  • Jeremy F. Tan, M.D. – OU Health ophthalmologist; Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
  • Thai Do, M.D. – OU Health ophthalmologist, Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
• Orthopedic Surgery: William Ertl, M.D. – OU Health orthopedic surgeon; Professor of Orthopedic Surgery & Rehabilitation, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
• Vascular Surgery: Benjamin Chou, D.O. – OU Health vascular and endovascular surgeon; Assistant Professor of Vascular & Endovascular Surgery, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine

Preparing Surgeons for Frontline Care

The spring 2026 cohort represents military medical centers and civilian hospitals from across Ukraine, including physicians serving in key regions such as Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Lviv. Many participants serve near active combat zones and will return home equipped to treat battlefield injuries, train future surgeons, and strengthen Ukraine’s surgical capacity. During their time in Oklahoma City, physicians will also engage with local communities, fostering cultural exchange alongside clinical training.

“Every cohort is a continuation of a larger mission,” said Dr. Mark Mims, M.D., OU Health facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon and assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. “This program is not just a month of training — it’s a sustained effort to equip Ukrainian surgeons with the skills to save lives under the most challenging circumstances. OU Health is proud to continue this work year after year, building a model of international surgical education that endures beyond the immediate conflict.”

Participating Surgeons by Specialty

• Head & Neck Surgery
  • Liubov Petruk – Military Medical Clinical Centre of South Region, Odesa
  • Ivan Moldovanov – Main Medical Clinical Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Kyiv
  • Vasyl Kaban – Ivano-Frankivsk Central City Clinical Hospital, Ivano-Frankivsk
  • Otchyk Oleksii – Military Medical Clinical Center of the Northern Region, Kharkiv
• Neurosurgery
  • Bohdan Sirko – Dnipropetrovsk Regional Clinical Hospital, Dnipro
  • Rostyslav Malyi – Dnipropetrovsk Regional Clinical Hospital, Dnipro
  • Nina Izbytska – Zaporizhzhia City Clinical Hospital No. 9, Zaporizhzhia
• Trauma Surgery
  • Nazarii Zakharuk – Main Medical Clinical Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Kyiv
  • Dmytro Pereimybida – Main Medical Clinical Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Kyiv
  • Volodymyr Odnolko – Main Medical Clinical Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Kyiv
  • Andrii Buchok – Uzhhorod City Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital, Uzhhorod
• Oculoplastics
  • Marta Kaminska –Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University Clinic, Lviv
  • Mariia Borkhalenko – Kyiv Regional Hospital, Kyiv
• Orthopedic Surgery
  • Ihor Palii – Main Military Medical Hospital, Kyiv
  • Vasyl Voronets – Military Medical Clinical Centre of East Region, Dnipro
  • Oleh Smyk – Military Medical Clinical Treatment and Rehabilitation Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Irpin
• Vascular Surgery: Bohdan Khalimovskyi – Main Medical Clinical Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Kyiv

The exchange is made possible through an ongoing collaboration with Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based nonprofit that provides funding for travel, stipends, and coordination of the program through its Co-Pilot Project.

“What sets Operation Ukraine apart is the model itself,” said Daniel Solchanyk, Razom Health Program Director. “Ukrainian surgeons are credentialed, granted surgical privileges, and treated as colleagues in the operating room. That is a fundamentally different approach from standard international observerships. OU Health's faculty provide world-class subspecialty training, and in return, they gain firsthand exposure to the clinical realities of wartime surgery. Under Dr. Mims's leadership, this program has expanded to six surgical specialties and its largest cohort to date. Every surgeon who completes this rotation returns to Ukraine with advanced skills, professional relationships, and the ability to train others. That multiplier effect is how you rebuild a health system during a war.”

A Continuing Commitment to Global Surgical Education

Operation Ukraine began in 2022, when Dr. Mims witnessed American and Ukrainian surgeons collaborating on complex procedures during a humanitarian trip organized by Face to Face, the humanitarian arm of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. Recognizing the need for sustained, hands-on training, he partnered with Razom for Ukraine to launch the observership program in Oklahoma.

Since May 2023, OU Health has trained 32 Ukrainian surgeons through Operation Ukraine. In recognition of its impact, the program was awarded the Order of St. Panteleimon, one of Ukraine’s highest honors for humanitarian service in health care.

“To stand in the operating room alongside surgeons who go home to work under air raid sirens and in the shadow of war is a profound privilege. OU Health is building something here that will outlast this conflict, a model of international surgical education rooted in compassion and clinical excellence.”

For more information or to support Operation Ukraine, please visit the OU Health website and the Razom for Ukraine website.