MEDICAL students from a university in Ukraine have thanked staff at Worcestershire Royal Hospital after a last-minute clinical placement at the hospital allowed the pair to continue their education.
As the war in Ukraine began, Tabia Alym and Jasmine Abulaban, both 25, were suddenly unable to carry out clinical training as part of their medical degrees at the Dnipro Medical Institute.
Having fled the country as the conflict took hold, Tabia, originally from the UK, and Jasmine, originally from Israel, frantically contacted a number of hospitals around the world for somewhere safe to undertake a practical clinical placement in order to continue their studies.
Dnipro – Ukraine’s fourth-largest city and home to Tabia and Jasmine until the Russian invasion – is located close to the frontline of the conflict and has been hit by a number of missile strikes since the war began.
Incredibly, lecturers from the Medical Institute continued to provide online classes for their students even while some took up arms to defend their country.
Jasmine said: “I remember during our online classes we could hear sirens and bombs going off in the background, but our Professors tried to calm us down, encourage us to continue and that everything is fine.
“Some doctors gave us online classes from a shelter and one had to pause to help a wounded soldier who was brought into the hospital they were in. Other doctors even gave us lectures while on a break from fighting on the frontline in Odessa and Kharkiv. They were so amazing and full of determination.”
However, at such a crucial stage of their degrees, practical clinical training was vital for them to continue their studies.
“We had just begun our second semester and were excited to begin in-person lectures and clinical practice again after we were finally allowed back into hospitals to train following Covid.
“But suddenly, we were forced to leave behind our homes, belongings, friendships, and our studies”, Tabia said.
After a number of conversations with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust , Tabia and Jasmine were allowed to pick the areas they wanted to do their month-long placements in, with clinical staff offering their full support.
Arriving in Worcestershire in early June, the students worked on a number of wards at the Worcestershire Royal and lived on site so they could spend as long as possible gaining vital experience.
Undergraduate co-ordinator, Norah Howell said: “They were very pleasant to work with and our clinical staff in the different departments that they did their placements in commented it was a great pleasure to be able to assist both of the students.”
Tabia added: “The compassion shown to us was heart-warming and we truly cannot be more thankful.
“Having been through a tumultuous few months, the kindness extended to us is something we are unable to express and will never forget.”
Tabia and Jasmine were able to go on to other postings within the NHS to continue their clinical education.
