TSMU graduate student participated in academic exchange program in the USA

Graduate student of Ternopil State Medical University Yevhen Loza participated in the Open World program, which aims to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between Ukraine and the United States by enabling Ukrainian leaders in various fields to meet with their American counterparts and exchange experiences and ideas on the most important issues for both sides.

Yevhen Loza visited Rochester, NY, in May of 2017. His program was dedicated to post-traumatic stress disorder and reintegration.

During his visit, Yevhen Loza had the opportunity to study at the University of New York in Buffalo, to take part in discussions with faculty, students and social workers working in veteran care.

In Yevhen’s words, study program at the department of social sciences combines the aspects of recognizing consequences of the trauma and protecting human rights. “This is done in order to prepare skilled social workers who are ready for the challenges of the 21st century. Graduates of the program are able to recognize the hidden consequences of injury in their clients. An example of the questions they ask might is: “What happened to you?” rather than “What are you problems?” Since 2002, the Nazareth College of International Education has initiated more than 80 partnerships with other colleges and universities around the world. Thus its students are invited to gain valuable experience abroad. The Center has also invited students from other countries to share their views and experiences with the teaching staff and students of the Nazareth College. Incidentally, recently, there were two students from Ostroh and Kharkiv “, – said Yevhen.

He added that he had visited a number of centers offering help to veterans. They offer psychological counseling and support to the veterans themselves, who might have problems related to military service in combat zones, as well as to the their family members. The consultants have excellent training and experience in recognizing PTSD symptoms and in its treatment.

As a result of the program, Yevhen has gained new experience in working with patients with post-traumatic stress disorder and their reintegration. He has also developed contacts with American researchers and staff of veterans’ care centers.

Yevhene Loza expresses his gratitude to the US-Ukraine Foundation, its research director Peter Voitsekhovsky, as well as president of Rochester Global Connections Tamara Denysenko, program manager of Open World Program Lewis Madanick and the whole Ukrainian diaspora for its warm reception. He thanks his host family Olha and Steve Szylo.

https://www2.naz.edu/news/2017/May/327/nazareth-hosts-ukrainian-leaders-examining-health-issues-and-ptsd-for-vets