Ukrainian medical student training with U of M to bring help back to home country
MINNETONKA, Minn. — The University of Minnesota is helping train a Ukrainian medical student so she can go back to her country and assist in the war effort.
Lisa Ishchenko is in the U.S. for the first time – away from her family, away from her life as a medical student, away from the war that still makes itself known daily in her home country of Ukraine.
"One of the biggest children's hospitals, not only in Ukraine but all of Europe, was destroyed by Russian rockets," Ishchenko said. "It's awful because I knew people who were working there and now many colleagues are injured. Some of them are dead."
Ishchenko is doing a month-long surgery rotation at the University of Minnesota, furthering her training to become a trauma surgeon. She sent June on a rotation in Milwaukee.
"It will be very useful for me, for my future career, to come here and have some experience which I can bring back to my home," she said.
While she's here, Ishchenko is living with Dr. Greg Ekbom, a retired Minnetonka surgeon who is very familiar with the conflict in Ukraine.
Ekbom founded LimbFit, a nonprofit that designs prosthetics for Ukrainian amputees and works side by side with doctors there.
Ishchenko met Ekbom when he hired her as an interpreter.
"Lisa was very quiet and I think grieving over the fact that she would be away for two months, but we think this is important for Lisa, but also for her colleagues and physicians that we're working with," Ekbom said.
Ekbom is planning another trip to Ukraine this year to fit more prosthetics and Ishchenko will be right beside him.