In August 2026, Ukrainian military physicians caring for severely wounded patients across different stages of medical evacuation became the first dedicated military cohort in Ukraine to complete the certified Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course.
The cohort brought together physicians working across the trauma care pathway—from stabilization points and forward surgical teams to military hospitals. By training clinicians from different stages of evacuation together, the course strengthens a shared, structured approach to the rapid assessment, stabilization, and treatment of severely injured patients.
The training was organized by the Global Medical Knowledge Alliance (GMKA) in collaboration with the American College of Surgeons, Mass General Brigham, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, and Harvard Medical School, and in partnership with Razom for Ukraine. The course was delivered by certified ATLS instructors.
According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, more than 41,000 civilians were injured during the first four years of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. The actual number is likely significantly higher, as many cases cannot be independently verified due to lack of access to certain areas. Figures on wounded military personnel are not publicly disclosed. In this context, the need for clinicians trained to manage severe and multiple injuries remains critically high.
ATLS provides a structured approach to the assessment and early management of severely injured patients. It does not replace protocols developed specifically for combat environments. Instead, it gives medical teams a shared framework for action — from identifying the most immediate threats to life and prioritizing interventions to repeatedly reassessing the patient and transferring care to the next medical team.
“It is important that a shared approach is understood and applied not only by individual physicians, but by entire medical teams. That is why implementing ATLS in Ukraine cannot be limited to a few courses for a small group of specialists. Our goal is to build a Ukrainian community of ATLS providers and instructors and create a system in which certified training can be delivered regularly under national leadership,” says Nelya Melnitchouk, MD, MSc, FACS, Co-Founder and CEO of GMKA, board-certified colorectal surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School.
The goal extends beyond meeting the immediate demands of wartime medicine. In the long term, expanding ATLS can also contribute to a more consistent and integrated trauma care system across Ukraine.
“Above all, ATLS provides structure. It is the foundation — a cornerstone of a trauma care system. If everyone shares the same basic understanding of the xABCDE algorithm, the primary and secondary surveys, and continuous reassessment of findings, then you have the foundation for a system-wide approach. It also gives you a common language for professional communication,” explains ATLS Course Director.
The training was supported by Razom for Ukraine as part of its broader work to strengthen Ukraine’s healthcare capacity, including trauma care and medical education.
“Razom’s work is not only about responding to the challenges created by the war. We are also working to make Ukraine’s healthcare system stronger. The ATLS program is one of the best examples of that work. Physicians from across Ukraine, including frontline regions, gain critically important trauma care skills that they then apply in their hospitals and pass on to their colleagues. For us, this is an investment in Ukraine’s future,” says Dan Solchanyk, Director of Razom Health at Razom for Ukraine.
About the Initiative
Global Medical Knowledge Alliance (GMKA) is leading the implementation of ATLS in Ukraine in close collaboration with the American College of Surgeons, Mass General Brigham, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, and Harvard Medical School. The August 2026 ATLS course was conducted with support from Razom for Ukraine.