from Birgit Burkner
When rockets hit university buildings, dormitories and parts of town, they fled west like millions of Ukrainians and found themselves stranded in Berlin. Hundreds of medical students from all over the world who have completed their academic training in Ukrainian universities could now solve the problem of skilled workers with us.
They learned in institutions in Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhia or Odessa. Here in Germany, as third-country nationals, they do not receive any social benefits, many come from Nigeria, Cameroon or India.
A professor from Berlin took care of her. Katharina Larisch of the University of Applied Sciences for Health, Social Affairs and Education is the Angel of Forgotten Students Ukraine become.
“Most of them have already studied medicine for four or five years and are about to undergo specialized training,” says Larisch. “If they are not helped, they will have to abandon their studies.”
Katharina Larisch cares for Ukrainian students, including teaching them ultrasound Photo: Ralf Gunther
On the one hand, hundreds of specialists sought without prospects, on the other hand, thousands of vacancies in the health professions due to a shortage of qualified workers. Larisch’s mission was clear: she brought together clinic bosses and students, made phone calls to remove official obstacles – successfully!
About 20 students will soon be able to start as nursing assistants at the Brandenburg Clinic in Bernau, where there are around 50 vacancies. There should be more in the hospitals of Frankfurt/Oder and Potsdam to settle. Four are already working in the sterilization department of the Berlin Vivantes group, cleaning surgical instruments.
A huge win for both sides, says Larisch: Young people work in unattractive shifts, weekends and nights, and pay taxes and social security contributions. “They can use the morning to attend online lectures at their Ukrainian universities and have an income.”
Elvis Bruno Djomou (29) was a student in the Ukrainian town of Vinnytsia. It helps to clean used surgical instruments Photo: Stefanie Herbst
Despite the destroyed buildings, digital education continues in Ukrainian universities. And soon new, urgently needed young doctors will have completed their training and will be able to help in Ukraine – or with us.
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