Team Grady shares trauma expertise with Ukrainian frontline caregivers
Grady team members recently returned from a mission in Tartu, Estonia, where they helped train frontline providers caring for injured soldiers in Ukraine. Led by Trauma Medical Director Dr. Liz Benjamin, the group included Dr. Laura Johnson, medical director of the Walter L. Ingram Burn Center; Carey Lampier, director of our burn program; and Steve Elgren, injury prevention and outreach manager.
The Estonian military invited Dr. Benjamin as international faculty for the Definitive Surgical Trauma Care (DSTC) course to prepare forward medical teams in the Ukrainian military. The course trained 16 military participants, and six anesthesia providers completed the accompanying Definitive Anesthetic Trauma Care (DATC) course.
As the official trauma course for the International Association of Trauma Surgery and Intensive Care, DSTC brings together global experts for a uniquely collaborative educational experience. Throughout the course, participants engaged in lectures, case-based discussions and hands-on operative simulation labs. Dr. Benjamin and faculty from several countries, including Ukraine, Finland, Estonia, South Africa and the U.S., worked side by side to discuss real battlefield challenges and innovative approaches to managing trauma. The simulation labs focused on advanced techniques in hemorrhage control and stabilization, allowing teams to practice lifesaving interventions in a controlled environment.
Grady’s burn specialists, led by Dr. Johnson, also delivered a dedicated course on burn stabilization and treatment techniques for a separate group of Ukrainian providers. At the conclusion of the week, all Grady faculty were invited to speak at the 18th Annual War and Disaster Medicine Conference, presenting to an audience of approximately 600 medical and military professionals from around the world.
Team Grady’s presence in Estonia reflects not only our clinical excellence but also our commitment to learning, collaboration and global service. Their work will help arm Ukrainian providers with the knowledge and skills to save lives in the most challenging conditions, and brought invaluable perspective back home to Grady.