March 1, 2023 鈥擝ay Area surgeon Dr. Michael Baker will offer a boots-on-the-ground perspective of the conditions in Ukraine following his two visits to the war-torn country to teach Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) to Ukrainian physicians and other medical personnel as well as 鈥淪top the Bleed鈥� measures to ordinary citizens.
鈥淭he ATLS is for physicians and 鈥楽top the Bleed鈥� is for regular people鈥攍ibrarians, bus drivers, schoolteachers who wonder what to do if somebody bombs their school or apartment building,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淓verybody was extremely thankful we were there.鈥�
Baker will share details of his experience as well as his take on the morale of the Ukrainian people and the condition of the country during an hour-long presentation on Monday, March 6 at 1 p.m. via Zoom. The free event is presented by 鈥� Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and is open to all members of the public.
Dr. Baker last year retired as a general surgeon and trauma surgeon in private practice and had also retired from the U.S. Navy as a Rear Admiral after a total of 30 years in uniform. He has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles on subjects ranging from wounds and trauma to medical intelligence and building the hospital ship of the future. But now, he felt the best way to serve his country and other democracies was to share his surgical knowledge with the citizens of Ukraine.
鈥淚 feel an attack on democracy anywhere is an attack on democracy everywhere,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important for us to support the Ukrainians. For me, the best way was to teach people how to care for casualties.鈥�
So, when the International Medical Corps and the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative reached out to him to join a group of instructors headed to Ukraine, he didn鈥檛 hesitate. Baker and his group would be teaching ATLS and 鈥淪top the Bleed,鈥� which are two standardized trauma courses sponsored by the American College of Surgeons and is taught in 81 countries so far.
After 12-hour flight from Los Angeles, Baker met the other instructors in Warsaw, Poland to begin the long journey to Ukraine鈥檚 capital city, Kiev.
鈥淲e traveled by van to the border crossing, then we walked for an hour to get through immigration to meet another van on the Ukraine side,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 because the traffic was backed up for miles with trucks bringing in supplies. Then we took an 8-hour trip into Kiev on side roads鈥攚hich was kind of painful鈥攂ut it鈥檚 necessary because when you bunch up a lot of cars and trucks, they become a target.鈥�
On the way to Kiev, they drove by armed guards, bomb shelters and roadblocks with air raid sirens splitting the air intermittently. When they arrived in Kiev, they set up equipment, demonstration mannequins, projectors and other teaching tools to a group of Ukrainian personnel eager to learn how to care for their citizens.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e very highly educated people and are very much looking to the West,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淭he young people want to speak English and be involved in the war effort. They are extremely patriotic, and they will never give up. They know what it鈥檚 like to live under the thumb of the Russians.鈥�
In order to protect their iconic buildings and other structures, the people had constructed walls of concrete blocks and sandbags. Schools had reopened, but students had to carry 鈥渟afety bags鈥� filled with food, water, books and toys for time they had to spend in school air raid shelters.
Among the Ukrainians who touched Baker the most deeply were the middle school children, who were trying to thrive during a war, and even at their age, speaking of rebuilding Ukraine.
Baker hopes his talk encourages Americans to contribute to Ukraine鈥檚 fight in any way they can, be it contributions, volunteering or expertise, because their fight, he believes, is our fight.
鈥淚f we don鈥檛 stop Russia, they will be invading Poland, Moldova or some other neighbor next,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淲e all need to be in this fight to whatever extent we can participate. We might need to contribute money for some, for others it will be to volunteer or to help refugees resettle in your town.鈥�
Interested attendees may register online for Dr. Baker鈥檚 presentation.
OLLI at 黑料正能量 allows adults aged 50 and up to take university-level courses without concern about grades, career preparation or degree requirements.
The University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs, events and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation, or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact the respective area below as soon as possible, but no later than seven (7) business days prior to the event/activity:
黑料正能量 Students: accommodations@csuci.edu
黑料正能量 Employees: christine.girardot@csuci.edu
Members of the Public: titleix@csuci.edu