Young resident doctors from Poland and Ukraine underwent specialized training in surgical techniques at the Department of Anatomy of the Medical University of Lublin in early July. Thanks to learning on real tissues, they practiced in practice the skills of professional diagnosis and surgical treatment of eye injuries and performing procedures around the eye. This was the first in Poland, „Ophtalmo – Trauma Days” training in ophthalmoplasty with the participation of prominent specialists in world ophthalmology.
The event was organized by the Department of General and Pediatric Ophthalmology of the Medical University No. 1 in Lublin in cooperation with the Medical University of Lublin and the National University „Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” and Shupik National Healthcare Hospital in Kyiv.
– Oculoplasty is an area of medicine at the intersection of ophthalmology and plastic surgery that is in high demand. On the one hand, these are purely cosmetic effects, but remember that this area also includes a number of diseases, tumors, congenital defects, as well as damage that can be acquired through trauma. This usually affects young people or even children,” said Professor Robert Rejdak, MD, head of the Department of General and Pediatric Ophthalmology at the Medical University of Lublin, one of the main lecturers at the specialized training.
At the same time, the professor stressed that due to the age group in which eye injuries are most common, training of young staff is very important. He confirmed that residents want to learn and take part in training, but in Poland they don’t have too many such opportunities.
Practice is the basis of the philosophy of education of Lublin Medical University, so the highly specialized training within the framework of the so-called „Trauma Days” began with the theoretical part. Specialists from the Medical University of Lublin, Ukraine and Switzerland gave lectures and conducted workshops on unfixed preparations – on cadavers, which are invaluable and unique training material.
– We don’t want our residents to learn on patients, so within the framework of the Academy of Excellence we continue dedicated training for young specialists in the Department of Human Anatomy. Today radiologists, reconstructive surgeons and ophthalmologists learned together. For this reason, it was the first unique event of its kind,” said Prof. Kamil Torres, PhD, Vice Rector for Education and Didactics at UMLub.
The specialized course was attended by 10 people, half of whom are from Ukraine. It was a very valuable lesson for them. During the course, the young doctors learned a range of issues in the field of ophthalmoplasty, treatment and diagnosis of injuries to the eyeball and periorbital space. Ophthalmology covers a very broad spectrum of cases. The opportunity to draw knowledge from professors with such extensive experience is extremely valuable, the trainees said.
In addition to Prof. Dr. Robert Rejdak, Vice-Rector for Internationalization, Digitalization and Promotion of the Medical University, the lecturers were Prof. Natalia Malachkova from the National University „Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” and Shupik National Healthcare Hospital in Kyiv and Dr. Piotr Gaca from Zurich, co-organizers of the specialized course. More training courses are already planned, this time in anesthesiology and reconstructive surgery.