Oleh Tarabrin: World-class Anesthetists Are Coming to Odessa to the “Black Sea Pearl”

At the end of May, “stars” of the world medicine will gather in Odessa for three days. For the sixth consecutive year, Odessa National Medical University organizes the “Black Sea Pearl” – an International and Interdisciplinary Congress of Anesthetists. We are talking about the preparation, stellar speakers, innovative techniques and the complexity of the profession with the vice-rector of ONMedU, professor, head of the department of anesthesiology, intensive therapy with postgraduate training, director of the Center for European Education in Anesthesiology in Odessa Oleh Tarabrin.
– How is the preparation for the “Black Sea Pearl” going?
We traditionally hold a congress in late May, this year it will be the sixth one. The work is in full swing, going in all directions and on all organizational issues, we are communicating closely with the speakers. By the way, the staff of our department will be translators of the foreign lecturers.
– Who confirmed the participation?
I want to note at once that speakers from 10 European countries and the United States will come to this Congress. Among them there is Irene Rosette of Seattle (USA), Oleksandr Zlotnyk, and Mykhailo Dubilet from Beersheba (Israel). Everyone will give 5-6 lectures at the congress and 2-3 lectures at the European School, which will be held in parallel. In addition, they will also hold 2-3 master classes. Two speakers from Turkey confirmed their presence, they will be here for the first time. Professor Zuhal Aikak is an anesthetist and resuscitation specialist in Europe. Traditionally, Professor Eugene Chumachenko from Paris will work with us. The whole team of prominent European anesthetists, headed by Professors Konstantin Lebedinsky and Vsevolod Kuzkov, Oleksii Hritsan and Ivan Tiutrin, who has been supporting all the educational projects of our university for 10 years, will join us. In addition, for the first time, we will be visited by the honorary professor of Harvard University Peter Feupel of Mainz (Germany). Through his outstanding work, he is known not only in anesthesiology and intensive care, but also in pathophysiology, oncology, neurology and surgery. Again, we will be happy to see professors and specialists from Poland, led by Bulat Tuyakov, a renowned specialist in regional anesthesia. However, our greatest achievement is the participation in our Congress of the President of the European Committee for Education in Anesthesiology, Professor Gilles Lebuff of Lille (France). And of course, as always, there will be a team of our domestic speakers. Absolutely all the lecturers will work at the congress and in the next course of European education, which will also be held in the “Gagarin Plaza” within the three days.
– Will there be the names of the same size among your Ukrainian colleagues reporting at the congress as the ones you have invited from abroad?
Certainly. Among the invited speakers there will be professors L.V. Usenko, B. M. Todurov, Yu.B. Kobeliatskii, V. I. Chernyi.
– Will anesthesiology be the main theme of the congress?
I want to point out that the congress will be not only international, but also inter-disciplinary. We have decided to introduce more prominent professionals who work with us. For example, the chairman of the Academic Council of our university Valerii Mykolaiovych Zaporozhan will give an interesting lecture on the issues of morality in medical education. A.i. Rector of ONMedU Yurii Sukhin, a well-known specialist in traumatology, will please us with two lectures on the problems of politrauma. Among our lecturers there is a brilliant neurosurgeon, professor Anatoly Son and other specialists: obstetricians, gynecologists, cardiac surgeons and cardiologists, traumatologists, neurologists, oncologists, pediatricians and neonatologists, hematologists and laboratory doctors.
– What are your novelties this year?
For the first time, we will hold a poster section and a section of young scientists where they can tell about their techniques, research and problems, share their experiences and ask questions to their senior colleagues. In general, the program is very voluminous, interesting and multifaceted. The three days of the congress and three days of the European School will be full of master classes, round tables, lectures. By the way, all lectures of the congress and the European school will be presented electronically for the forum participants.
– Is it enough for the lecturers to have three days to do something really useful from a practical point of view?
Firstly, we strive to give not only theoretical knowledge, but also lay emphasis on its practical application. Secondly, we have invited the best practitioners who will share unique knowledge. Thirdly, the doctor has a direct interest in attending such educational projects, as Ukraine has changed the system of assessment of qualifications, which makes it possible for a practitioner to visit congresses and get a certain number of points but still not to pass the pre-certification cycle.
– In your opinion, which doctors are becoming members of the congress, master classes, European school willingly – the beginners or experienced ones?
The question is very problematic. Unfortunately, not all doctors, for various reasons, are able or want to attend such events. The administration of medical institutions does not always take it with understanding. Sometimes they let only one specialist to go so that he shares the information and impressions with colleagues afterwards. It is impossible. On the other hand, there are clinics, which, on the contrary, completely exclude any planned operations, and come with the whole team – obstetricians, gynecologists, neurosurgeons, orthopedic traumatologists, surgeons, cardiac surgeons. And it is in these clinics, as a rule, that the results of treatment of patients are high. And these clinics have an impeccable reputation.
– At congresses you meet both domestic and foreign colleagues, can you objectively compare the level of training. How different is it?
I often visit not only meetings of different levels in Ukraine, but also in foreign clinics. I can tell you about anesthesiologists and resuscitation physicians. Our specialists – on the basis of clinical thinking, the level of education, the totality of knowledge – are no worse. Yes, we often lack the hardware, sometimes lack knowledge about innovations. We are therefore taking steps to fill these gaps.
– In addition to the congress, are you planning any other large-scale scientific events?
Just a couple of days ago, I received a letter from the president of Israeli anesthetists Gabriel Gurban asking to invite their delegation next year to the seventh Black Sea Pearl-2020. As for the current year, then immediately after the end of the congress, we will begin preparations for the first symposium on thrombosis and hemostasis with the participation of the leading hemostasiologist of Europe, Professor Charles Mark Samami (Paris, France). We have twice invited him to Odessa, but, unfortunately, the French diplomatic services did not recommend him to visit Ukraine in connection with military actions in Donbass. This time the participation is confirmed, and we have already ordered tickets for the professor. He will give lectures to our specialists on October 2-4.
– Are modern technologies and techniques in the field of anesthesiology and intensive care available to the students of Odessa Medical University?
Our entire curriculum is divided into three components: students, interns, doctors-trainees. In each of these blocks, we use all the new research and techniques so that students and young specialists could carry this luggage of knowledge into their clinics.
– One of your scientific and practical directions is antithrombotic therapy …
To be brief: my entire team is working on this problem, I am the direct leader. It has developed into the School of Hemostasiologists and Resuscitationists of Odessa and Ukraine, which I have the honor to head. We are both on ideological inspiration, and developers of new techniques, and part of the international consortium dealing with the problems of hemostatic disorders.
I am glad that our Ukrainian school has reached the European scale: we have developed new clinical recommendations, which we will talk at the symposium in October about.
– There is such an opinion that anesthesiology is perhaps the most strenuous medical profession. There are even recommendations not to work for over 15 years. Is ii so?
I am proud that I have been working as an anesthetist for almost 35 years. This work is very complex and multifaceted emotionally. An anesthetist-resuscitator is a person who is in the shadow to a certain situation, but at the onset of this critical situation he must assume all the leadership. There are such moments when neither the surgeon nor anyone else, namely you have to get out of a bad situation, and in seconds. You will not know how – the patient will die!
– Are you not afraid?
Of course I’m afraid. I’m afraid of the patient. I fear for his life.
– How do you deal with stress?
I try to switch attention to something else. I jog in the morning. The beauty of the world removes any stress.