A Small Silver Lining [10.08.22]
The war in Ukraine is close and yet often feels far away. That changes when you talk to people who fled the Russian attack. The Ukrainian neurologist Dr. Maryna Horobeiko has been working as a visiting scientist at the Institute for Health Care & Public Management at the University of Hohenheim since June. In an interview with Online-Kurier, she talks about her experiences and why working at the University of Hohenheim means so much to her.
How are you? How did you come to the University of Hohenheim? There are no harmless interview questions when one's existence has been completely upended within a few weeks.
Dr. Maryna Horobeiko has not lost her fun-loving, hands-on temperament. But talking to her about the last few months inevitably triggers a chain of horrible memories. And for a few brief moments, tears.
Nevertheless, she would like to talk about her experiences - out of heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome at the Institute for Health Care & Public Management at the University of Hohenheim and as a request for further solidarity with the Ukrainian population.
Zum Thema |
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Das Akademische Auslandsamt ist die erste Anlaufstelle für Geflüchtete, die an der Uni Hohenheim studieren oder forschen möchten, und für Universitätsangehörige, die Fragen zur Aufnahme von Geflüchteten haben. |
Via Poland to Filderstadt
The neurologist starts her account in December 2021:
"My husband was already plagued by gloomy premonitions at that time. He asked me to leave the country together with our 15-year-old daughter. Everyone said he was crazy, and so did I. We were so happy. In January, I started a new position as medical director at a private medical center. My daughter attended one of the best schools in the city, with an international orientation. But in February, my husband's nightmares suddenly became reality."
On the day of the Russian attack, escape from Kyiv was almost impossible. Too many cars wanted to get out of the city of 5 million people. Dr. Horobeiko's husband was on a business trip in a distant part of Ukraine. He urged her to get out and go abroad despite the stress, but she went to the family's country house. However it quickly became clear: The suburb was not safe, either.
„While we were in the country, the war was getting closer. The house shook under the shelling. Rockets, artillery, tanks, armored vehicles – we heard and saw all that. My daughter's hair turned gray. People from the occupied territories began to report abuse and rape, including children and teenagers. I had no other choice, I had to get my child out of this hell," Dr. Horobeiko reports.
Next stop: Poland. 14 hours of standing in an overcrowded train. The train had to stop three times because of an air alarm. No light, no possibility to make phone calls. From Poland, Dr. Horobeiko followed the invitation of a Ukrainian friend who has been living in Filderstadt. Today, the suburb is destroyed where their country house is located.
Das Dorf Velyka Dymerka ist nach russischem Beschuss verwüstet. Bild: Horobeiko
Work as a neurologist not possible for the time being
"Our lives took a terrible turn from one day to the next, and yet I am very grateful: We had a point of contact in Germany. My daughter was able to make friends quickly at the school because she speaks good English and German. And my husband was allowed to follow us to Germany because he is exempt from military service due to his age. Not many of my fellow citizens are so lucky," Dr. Horobeiko stated.
In everyday life in Germany, one thing in particular causes her problems: inaction. "Then I start thinking. And that leads to depression. I also want to make a meaningful contribution to society and give something back for the help we receive," Dr. Horobeiko said.
However, the Ukrainian cannot continue her work as a neurologist immediately, as her medical training is not recognized in Germany. Although healthcare professionals are desperately needed, the recognition process for non-EU citizens is extremely lengthy.
Return to research
At the moment, Dr. Horobeiko cannot say whether she will stay in Germany long enough to obtain her license to practice medicine. She is therefore all the happier that, as a guest researcher at the University of Hohenheim, she is able to take up with another field of employment in the meantime. In addition to her medical training, Dr. Horobeiko studied economics and conducted postdoctoral research in health care management. She gained professional experience at the WHO and the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, among other organizations.
Her application therefore also proved to be a stroke of luck for the Institute of Health Care & Public Management: "Immediately after the war began, my colleagues at the Institute and I decided that we wanted to help academics who had fled. We actively registered on several online portals for this purpose. Actually, the idea of helping was in the foreground for us. With Dr. Horobeiko, however, we have now even been able to include a researcher who fits very well with our specialist profile," said Prof. Dr. Alfonso Sousa-Poza from the Department of Household and Consumer Economics.
At the Institute, Dr. Horobeiko is following up on a research topic that already occupied her as a postdoc and that now also affects her personally: The migration of Ukrainian health care professionals.
The future remains open
"We plan to include Dr. Horobeiko in a seminar next semester. And we hope for an opportunity to employ her on a longer-term basis," said Prof. Dr. Sousa-Poza. "However, unfortunately, there is no funding for that so far. Scholarships for refugees are mostly for shorter periods of time. It would make sense to have complementary programs that enable Ukrainian scientists to gain a foothold and launch their own research proposals."
He encourages other institutes at the University of Hohenheim to take the step and also integrate refugee scholars if the opportunity arises: "We are very moved by the fate of Dr. Horobeiko. We value her as a member of our team and hope that as many refugees as possible will have a similar opportunity in their situation," said Prof. Dr. Sousa-Poza.
In fact, so far only a handful of Ukrainian refugees have started or continued their studies or research at the University of Hohenheim. The first point of contact for them is the Office of International Affairs. University members who have questions about the reception of refugees at Hohenheim can also contact the Office of International Affairs. An info page provides an overview of necessary steps, financing options, and other points of contact.
Text: Leonhardmair
Interview mit ukrainischem Gesundheitsminister |
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Alfonso Sousa-Poza and Maryna Horobeiko im Gespräch mit Liashko Viktor |
"Gastforscherin aus dem Krisengebiet" |
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