Uzhhorod Symposium June 23 and a surprise visit before heading to Lviv

In Uzhhorod, we proceeded directly to the Hotel after the train ride overnight…then to our lectures.

Dan spoke to Administrative leaders, I to Emergency Medicine clinicians, both doctors and physician assistants.  The typical ambulance has one physician and one or two physician assistants as well as the driver.

My topic was “Medical Myths in Prehospital Care, or Mistakes We Have Made”….they especially liked the STEMI equivalent EKG portion of this talk, with EKGs to review and discuss.  Then we had 4 Simulation cases so that teams of 3 from the audience got up in front of their colleagues to run through, with a manikin, some scenarios that exemplified points I had made in the lecture.  Gracious and inquisitive group.

That evening we met up with an EM doctor from the US who lives in Prague, works in London, and serves as a collaborator in Ukraine….John Quinn, MD.  Also with his fellow collaborator, Patrick (last name I have misplaced), a Paramedic who lives in Kyiv.  These two are long time friends of Dan Smiley, so it was a joy to discuss the collaborative efforts we have undertaken for the past 20 years in Ukraine.  Different and yet in many ways very similar.  Along with Dan Smiley and folks like these, the EMS Protocols in Ukraine have been updated and revised and there have been several joint training exercises over the years.

The surprise visit was to a beautiful winery, in a town 30 km away, set in caves.  Quite good red blend and Riesling.  The winemaker was our hostess….and she was able to give us a lot of background of this site, which had entertained over the years many Soviet leaders and Cosmonauts, among others.  Interesting.

The day of the 24th we drove to Lviv through the Karpatian mountains.  Beautiful journey to the old and historic city of Lviv.  Dan and his translator, Dr. Svetlana, stayed in Lviv for three days and Dan lectured to the Lviv Police on Tactical Emergency Casualty Care….practical knowledge reinforced and expanded for them.

Ivan and Vitaliy headed back to Kyiv on an overnight train, while Sergei and I headed to Vinnitsa, arriving late evening on the 24th.