In war-torn Ukraine, doctors are struggling to deliver quality care to the sick and are unable to travel for educational opportunities due to war-time restrictions. Jean-Frederic Colombel, MD and his team, determined to find ways to help any way they could, created the “Mount Sinai IBD Course for Ukraine” as a remote resource and support to IBD doctors in Ukraine to mitigate the lack of educational courses available. The course focuses on topics in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care that will train Ukraine doctors in the management of long-term use of steroids in IBD, pediatric IBD, stomas following surgery, and also includes discussion in the optimization of nutrition in IBD.
While the war in Ukraine has wreaked havoc on its healthcare system and severely limited access for doctors to medical education necessary for delivering the best possible patient care, Dr. Colombel and his team answer the call to help and are a shining representation of Mount Sinai’s core values of creativity, empathy, and teamwork in this dark time of crisis.
