We’re often moved by messages from readers of War Doctor – David’s written account of over 25 years of volunteering surgical skills on the frontline. But sometimes, a story comes along that reminds us exactly why we do what we do, and resonates so deeply that it feels important to share.
Anastasiia, our inspiring Ukrainian supporter, shares how War Doctor changed her perspective on conflict, deepened her empathy for others, and helped her find purpose in uncertainty.
"This book… I don’t know, it’s something special, something that came into my hands at the right time and in the right place. I’ve read many books in my life, and I’ve never been interested in surgery or war stories. But when war came to my home, and I had to leave everything I was used to and everything I held dear, I finally decided to read this book – one that had come to me long ago and quite by accident. I just bought it in a supermarket in Ukraine when my mom and I were planning to attend a first aid course at the very beginning of the war. I had no idea what this book was really about.
At first, it was hard to read because I’m quite a sensitive person, and reading about injuries or surgeries was difficult – I’d start to physically feel pain. A neighbour even joked that sometimes my face looked like it had “subtitles” for the book – “Caution: I’m in shock.” It probably took a month before I could really get into it – I just couldn’t read it sometimes, even though I was curious.
Then one day, I got stuck at an airport for 12 hours after my last visit to my family, and knowing I had no way out, I opened the book I had brought with me – and it suddenly became so engaging and easy to read that I read almost half of it that night.
That’s how my journey with David Nott’s story began. Everything – from his bravery, dedication, and honesty, to the incredible resilience of his wife – deeply moved me.
When I got temporary shelter in Austria, I found myself surrounded by many other refugees, including Syrians. We’re learning the language together now, and before this, I knew nothing about their history or the horrors they had lived through. When we were all sharing our stories, some of them said they walked here on foot – and I was shocked. After reading this book, I began learning about many other armed conflicts I had only ever vaguely heard of, reduced to the phrase “there’s a war going on somewhere over there” – and that was it. I couldn’t empathize, and I couldn’t help.
When I finished the book, I sat in silence for a while, just thinking that I also want to be useful to people who’ve gone through things like this. I have to admit, I’ve faced many challenges in Austria. One of the hardest is that people don’t understand and don’t even want to try to understand that I’m here not because this was the dream of my life, but because circumstances forced me. I wasn’t prepared for this, and that’s why I don’t speak German. A lack of knowledge and an unwillingness to know what others have been through makes us cruel – and that’s what happened to many people here. Even though I’ve been living here for over a year, I still sometimes cry out of frustration, because my home and the future I wanted – a peaceful youth, my dreams – were stolen from me.
But before this, looking at my Syrian classmates, I too was cruel in my own ignorance. I didn’t want to know their stories, and I wasn’t interested – even though I myself had lived through war, and should have had more compassion for others who had suffered the same.
In the end, I just want to say this book gave me hope – both in my personal situation and, together with everything I’ve been through.
"War Doctor made me realise that no matter what happens, even one person, if they have good intentions and a strong will, can change the world."
Stories of people like Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi always felt distant – in far-off places with different rules and ways of life. But this story felt like it was here, close to my heart in every way.
This is how this book turned my world and my detached way of living into a desire to be part of those who live to help others. I’m still looking for the field where I can do that – but I know for sure that I don’t want to stand aside anymore."
"The book opened my eyes, heart and became a direction – helped me make a choice in life. It shaped what I want to do and how to relate to the horrors around me.”
David’s Book War Doctor is available below.
Surgeons and anaesthetic surgeons from regions all over Ukraine gathered in Lviv, in late March and early April, for two HEST® courses delivered by our foundation.
Against the backdrop of continued trauma for the country, as Russian attacks intensify, our focus was to deliver our bespoke Hostile Environment Surgical Training courses: HEST A™ and HEST®, and to identify and train potential instructors - localising the teaching and the skills for the long-term future.
Faculty lead for anaesthesia, Ian Nesbitt, who trained in our HEST A™ course, said: “Every time we come and deliver training, we identify people who we think have potential to be instructors and to be Ukrainian faculty members. They're incredibly impressive people. They have enthusiastically come back again and again, and we have trained them in some teaching techniques, and we've taught them with the exact skills that they use on this course, and they are now basically starting to run the courses themselves.”
Our foundation has been training surgeons in Ukraine since the war began over 3 years ago. In late March, 33 participants and 14 Instructor Potential candidates gather for the 5 day course. Uliana Kaschii a doctor and anaesthetist, originally from Mariupol is one of the Instructor Potential candidates. She was working in the frontline when she first heard about our HEST courses in 2014 and is now leading many of the trainings herself.
I came to do this course as an IP, and the last couple of months I felt a little burn out from the medicine, because I was really tired, I’ve been coping with a lot of stress, and I didn’t feel a lot of motivation from my environment, and the first day I came here I got this motivation for medicine again – yesterday I agreed to go to the front line again.
“From participating as an Instructor Potential, I like to see how the knowledge is spread, how we improve the anaesthetics field in Ukraine. In general I see the people who want to improve medicine and develop anaesthesia, and improve the care of the patient, and I love to see that in this course and see that we are moving somewhere in medicine.”
Our second course, HEST® for surgeons in early April, trained 39 participants and 5 Instructor Potential candidates.
Yaroslav Kulachek, a Ukrainian frontline surgeon and IP told us one of the most difficult things is working under fire, under missile strikes. “You have to perform the triage and you have choose who will live and who will die, because we don’t have the capacity. One of the most difficult is when you deal with children, and a lot of casualties who come to you and you see they’re not ill but it’s a war - when one human being tries to hurt or kill another human being. It’s most striking for a person to understand how horrible a war can be and what scars and consequences will be left after this.
I want for this course to share my knowledge with surgeons, and to help them improve their skills for the battlefield area and for those who need the surgical help, and any other kind of help for soldiers, civilians, children, no matter where they will work and with whom they will deal."
Ian Nesbitt reflects:
We come, we teach, we go, we leave echoes behind us. And those echoes, I think, will grow and grow. They're like a stone being thrown into a pond. The ripples will keep going. And that, I think, is one of the very exciting things that ultimately, these ripples will keep going by themselves without us being here.
Funding a Palestinian doctor for Paediatric trauma training
The conflict in Israel and Palestine has put Palestinian medical professionals under extreme pressure, and we remain committed to supporting them. Recently, we funded Dr Fuad Al Qadi, an anaesthesia specialist from Hebron in the West Bank, to attend a PACTS (Paediatric Advanced Cadaveric Trauma Surgery) course in the UK.
Hebron is no stranger to turmoil, and Dr Al Qadi, who has practiced anaesthesia for nearly a decade, commutes for hours daily between Hebron and Jerusalem.
"The situation is a nightmare, though not as devastating as Gaza, so one feels guilty to even complain. Frequent raids, countless checkpoints, and a complete lack of safety make life incredibly difficult. Traveling short distances takes hours, and for someone like me, who travels daily, it’s physically and emotionally exhausting. The humiliation we face as Palestinians is extreme, and the longer this continues, the worse it gets."
Building expertise to save lives
The PACTS course, organised by the Newcastle Surgical Training Centre (NSTC), is a two-day, hands-on workshop designed for surgeons, anaesthetists, and theatre nurses. It focuses on managing major trauma in children through practical cadaveric sessions, team decision-making, and communication under pressure. Cadaveric training is important as it provides a realistic and safe environment for participants to practice surgical techniques and refine their skills, ensuring they are better prepared for real-life emergencies. Topics covered include thoracic, abdominal, and head and neck injuries, as well as advanced techniques such as updated protocols for massive blood transfusions. Participants also engage in time-limited, scenario-based exercises to simulate real-life trauma situations.
“At the start of the war there were a lot of clashes between the Palestinians in the West Bank, the Israeli military and the Israeli settlers, and a lot of cases I could have saved if I'd had these skills. It feels like people - well children, actually, just died due to lack of expertise that I now have.”
Supporting healthcare in conflict
We’ve been supporting Palestinian doctors since our founding and will continue to do so. Funding doctors to attend courses like these will strengthen healthcare systems in war torn regions. In 2023 we also funded 2 Ukrainian doctors to attend this same course, who then returned to Ukraine and undoubtedly saved many lives in their homeland.
“I am truly speechless at the opportunity the David Nott Foundation has given me. This experience was incredibly rich and helpful. The team made everything as smooth and easy as possible, and I am deeply grateful for their support. Although I haven’t had the chance to meet David Nott, it’s clear even from the PACTS course discussions that he is an important figure in the field of conflict and trauma surgery. I hope to put these skills to good use and wish I could be in Gaza, where the need for surgical expertise is huge. Though sadly, as a Palestinian, I cannot go. Thank you to everyone involved, Kirstin, Hetty, and the whole team. This was no small thing for me or the Palestinian people.”
Support our mission in Palestine
Strengthening global surgical capacity through HEST-UK training
Building on the success of our partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) in June, where 24 surgeons were equipped with vital skills to save lives and limbs in conflict zones, we joined forces again this December to train an additional 23 surgeons. Our trauma surgery training in the UK (HEST-UK) aligns with RCSEd's broader mission to support global healthcare by equipping professionals to address healthcare needs in low-resource or conflict-affected areas.
Designed for medical professionals working in, or preparing to travel to, conflict and disaster zones, our HEST-UK course brought together participants from around the world. Surgeons traveled from as far as Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, Ukraine, and the USA to take part in this transformative week of intensive training.
The course provides comprehensive training in surgical techniques for managing injuries frequently encountered in conflict zones, such as blast and shrapnel wounds, with a dedicated focus on Obstetrics and Gynaecology during the final day. Regardless of their specialty, surgeons gain the skills needed to handle complex trauma cases and significantly improve patient outcomes.
This immersive training integrates real-life trauma case presentations from conflict zones like Syria, teaching models designed specifically for our programmes, and hands-on practice using human cadavers, delivering an unparalleled learning experience.
A Global Effort
The David Nott Foundation and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh are charitable organisations, and our work is made possible by the generous support of donors and sponsors. We are deeply grateful to The Russell Trust, Essity, BBRAUN, Stryker, and BMA Giving for their invaluable provision of equipment and consumables, which enabled us to deliver this course.
BMA Giving generously granted £10,000 to cover the costs of specimens and equipment for this training. Given the nature of this project, there was significant interest from individuals working with NGOs and other non-profit organizations, where high course fees often present a barrier to accessing training. Thanks to the support of BMA Giving, we were able to reduce fees, ensuring the course was more accessible to a broader range of participants.
Empowering Ukrainian Surgeons to Save Lives
As part of our 2024 localisation efforts in Ukraine, we sponsored three Ukrainian doctors who had previously completed our trauma training courses to attend our Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST-UK). This advanced training provided a unique opportunity for them to refine their skills further by practicing on cadavers. They also received dedicated mentorship from our expert faculty, including David Nott, who shared insights drawn from over 30 years of trauma surgery experience in conflict zones.
Upon returning to Ukraine, these doctors joined our growing local Ukrainian faculty to train more surgeons on the ground during this difficult period. Their newly acquired skills were put to immediate use, with reports of life-saving interventions within days of their return.
"Just two days ago, I faced a mass casualty incident involving four patients in one hour. Three of them suffered massive hemorrhages from arterial injuries, fractures, and amputations. I was the only surgeon available. The skills and knowledge I gained through the courses offered by the David Nott Foundation saved their lives and their limbs." - Dr Volodymyr H, Ukrainian General Surgeon
Our most recent training in Ukraine
Equipping medical heroes of South and North Kivu
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to face a complex and multifaceted crisis that is often overlooked on the global stage, making it one of the world's 'forgotten crises.’ Decades of conflict have left the country with over 8 million internally displaced people. Most of these displacements are driven by violence in eastern provinces like North and South Kivu, where armed groups and intercommunal violence exacerbate instability. The humanitarian needs in the DRC are immense, with over 25 million people requiring assistance. This includes a severe lack of basic services such as food, water, healthcare, and shelter.
The crisis has deep historical roots, shaped by colonial exploitation, political instability, and ongoing conflicts fueled by control over mineral-rich territories. Despite some international efforts, the scale of suffering remains overwhelming and largely unnoticed compared to other global crises.
In the hills of Murhesa, South Kivu, medical professionals gathered at Murhesa Medical Centre for the second time for life-saving training on war surgery and emergency care. Organised by the Friends of the David Nott Foundation in the Democratic Republic of Congo who we funded for teaching tools, this mission was more than just a training course—it was a promise of hope.
“To world leaders and the David Nott Foundation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo urgently needs attention, support, and collaboration in health during this time. Thousands are displaced, facing a security and humanitarian crisis. Training doctors, nurses, midwives, and first-aiders in life-saving skills is more critical than ever.” - Chris Kitumaini, President of the DRC FDNF
A journey into conflict medicine
The training was practical, intense, and tailored to the realities of war-zone healthcare specifically in the DRC. Over a period of 2 days, 4 doctors trained 20 medical professionals from across the region. Participants learned to assess and prioritise life-threatening injuries under pressure, master techniques for suturing wounds, controlling hemorrhages, and managing injuries caused by gunshots and explosions, and perform CPR in resource-limited settings.
The highlight for many was the hands-on neurosurgery workshop, where they practiced emergency craniotomy techniques under the guidance of a skilled neurosurgeon.
Commitment, passion, and motivation
The training concluded with the award of certificates to all participants, symbolising their commitment and the skills acquired during these intensive sessions.
“Driven by the desire to make a positive difference, the David Nott Foundation's support and donation of equipment has helped me organise a training workshop for Congolese doctors to work in resource-limited settings and save millions of lives.”- Chris Kitumaini, President of the DRC FDNF
As the program concluded, we were inspired by the determination and resilience of every individual involved in the organisation of this training, from our Congolese FDNFs to the surgeons they worked with to deliver the training. Their commitment fuels our drive to continue this work. This is why we do what we do, and we won’t stop.
Please note that Friends of the David Nott Foundation (FDNF) operate independently and are not training entities of the David Nott Foundation.
Strengthening trauma response in Northwest Syria
Northwest Syria continues to face escalating hostilities, compounded by regional conflicts that have intensified instability across the area. In October 2024, airstrikes targeting Idlib resulted in numerous casualties, reflecting the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Healthcare facilities, already strained by over a decade of conflict, are now bracing for an increase in trauma cases due to anticipated surges in violence.
Amid this dire backdrop, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a Trauma Emergency Response and Preparedness (EPREP) plan to strengthen trauma care and emergency preparedness in Northwest Syria. Recognising the David Nott Foundation’s expertise in trauma training, WHO invited us to partner in their efforts to enhance local healthcare capacity. This initiative was generously funded by USAID, whose support has been instrumental in bringing this project to life.
We are honoured to contribute through the delivery of our renowned Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST) course, which WHO has identified as a “central pillar” of its trauma response strategy.
From collaboration to local leadership
From November 18 – 22, we delivered a specialised HEST course in Idlib, training 25 Syrian doctors. This marks a milestone in our partnership with WHO and our broader localisation efforts. Notably, this training was entirely led by our Syrian faculty, supported by UK-Syrian faculty members, emphasising the importance of building sustainable, local capacity.
“The new generation of surgeons must learn all of these skills delivered on our courses to save more lives” - Dr Mahmoud Hariri, faculty member
The training focused on equipping participants with critical skills in trauma response, including the management of blast injuries, gunshot wounds, and advanced surgical interventions required in conflict zones. This hands-on course, tailored to address the specific challenges of Northwest Syria, underscored the power of collaboration and the value of empowering local medical professionals to lead in their own communities.
Building resilience amid crises
This mission is part of WHO’s broader plan to enhance the capacity of Northwest Syria’s healthcare system, which prioritises equipping hospitals with essential supplies, creating dedicated triage areas, and improving coordination across trauma networks. Together, we aim to strengthen the region’s ability to respond to mass casualty incidents, ensure communities receive life-saving care during these volatile times, and work towards the sustainable development of the trauma system in Northwest Syria. Building on this foundation, we will continue to contribute to capacity-building efforts in the coming years, with plans to deliver HEST, HEST-A, and HEST-O&G courses early next year.
The devastating events of this past week in Northwest Syria, with fresh waves of airstrikes and escalating violence, have once again underscored the region’s urgent need for enhanced trauma care. We are humbled to have been there just days before, providing Syrian doctors with the life-saving skills they now rely on to manage the growing number of critically injured patients. Our training was not just a response to the immediate need but a long-term investment in the resilience and readiness of Syria’s healthcare system.
Find out more about our work in Syria
A milestone mission in Ukraine
In October, we partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO), UOSSM, and the Ukrainian Ministry of Health to deliver our frontline surgical courses in Ukraine. Thanks to the support of our partners, we were able to train 71 medical professionals from across the country, including the frontlines, who travelled to Kyiv to gain essential trauma care skills. These newly acquired skills will be crucial as they return to their hospitals and provide care in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable.
Since the onset of the war, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to support Ukraine’s medical community. Our mission has been clear: to empower medical professionals who face the realities of war injuries every day. To date, we have trained a total of 666 healthcare workers across Ukraine and built a dedicated team of Ukrainian instructors who, this October, successfully led the Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST) course. This October mission was a milestone, as it included an adaptation of the courses tailored to Ukraine’s needs, extending our usual three-day Hostile Environment Surgical Training-Anaesthesia (HEST-A) course to five days, allowing us to deliver even more course content.
Empowering Frontline Nurses and Strengthening Local Healthcare
This mission to Ukraine marked many milestones for us, one being the pilot of our Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST) course specifically designed for nurses. In this pilot course, we trained 15 nurses, equipping them with vital trauma care skills. Just as importantly, this course offered us an opportunity to learn from the participants themselves. As they shared their insights, experiences, and specific challenges they face on the ground, we were able to gain a deeper understanding of how we can adapt and enhance our training to best meet their needs in conflict settings.
Nurses are at the heart of frontline healthcare, providing continuous care in some of the most intense and difficult environments. Their bravery and commitment are essential not only in treating patients but also in strengthening healthcare systems in conflict zones. We firmly believe that building resilient healthcare systems requires empowering and supporting nurses.
In addition to training, we are committed to localisation in Ukraine. We do this in a number of ways, including the local employment of key programmatic team members, building relationships with local suppliers and ensuring our strategy is fully in line with that of the Ministry of Health and affiliated bodies. This approach ensures that our training sessions are adapted to locally available resources, we support the local economy, and we deliver a sustainable product for the future of Ukraine.
Our team’s dedication has been unwavering. They travelled long hours, often overnight, and took shelter alongside Ukrainians as they navigated the challenges of delivering these courses amidst ongoing conflict. This commitment was evident in every moment of training.
“As my first deployment with the Foundation, seeing the dedication and resilience of the Ukrainian surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses, who both delivered and attended the courses, palpably highlighted the importance of DNF’s role in providing not only training, but also solidarity.” – Hetty Cane, DNF Programmes Officer
The Power of Partnerships
Our work would not be possible without the strength and commitment of our partners. With critical funding from the WHO, logistical support from UOSSM, and guidance from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, we have been able to deliver life-saving training in Ukraine. These partnerships are central to our mission, enabling us to empower frontline medical professionals and make a lasting impact on healthcare in conflict zones. Together, we are building a future where medical teams are equipped, resilient, and ready to save lives when it matters most.
“This mission was a huge step towards our goal of localising our HEST courses in Ukraine. It was a mission of firsts. It was a privilege to collaborate with UOSSM, headed up by Ahmed Aldbis and Muhammad Zaydiye, who, with their team, worked with us to enable these courses. We're indebted to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, WHO-Ukraine and Bogomolets National Medical University for partnering with us.” - Nick Cartwright, DNF Head of Operations
Find out more about our work in Ukraine
Serving low-resource hospitals in the DRC
This year, we were contacted by a doctor from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to set up a Friends of David Nott Foundation (FDNF) society – our very first FDNF in Africa. In a bid to support the development of African doctors in hospitals with poor resources, we provided funding for teaching tools used to upskill medical professionals in deep DRC territory.
In June 2023, a WHO report found that the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the DRC has more than doubled to 6.3 million, since the end of 2022. The crisis has emerged as decades of conflict and food insecurity soars in the DRC, made worse by extreme flooding and disease outbreaks throughout the Ituri and North Kivu Provinces.
Chris Kitumaini, a medical doctor and President of our FDNF in the DRC, arranged a training course for doctors at the Murhesa Medical Center, a modest hospital with very limited resources, medical equipment and staff. He shared:
“We travelled to Bukavu, in the South-Kivu Province in the DRC, and then went onto Kabare’s deep territory to get to the Murhesa Medical Center. We picked this location to train in because it is a hospital with very low income. Resources are so limited there."
"In the operating rooms, there is nothing. Women are giving birth on wooden tables. The doctors there are working with the smallest amount of materials, no beds, no anaesthesia machines. Nothing but the doctors and medical assistants."
Basic medical skills
The surgical teaching team, some of whom had travelled from Bordeaux, taught a range of basic medical and surgical skills to a group of 20 doctors from different territories. Some had travelled from small villages to get to the training in Murhesa Medical Center.
Four courses were delivered during two intensive days of training, using surgical toolkits, mannikins and anaesthesia tools funded by us. Dr Raïssa Kizungu, a cardiologist from Bordeaux, led the management of cardiovascular pathologies in the context of war and environments with limited resources. The team used mannikins to teach the group cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and essential tools for resuscitation to preserve life in resource-limited settings. Dr Elie Bugashane, a general surgeon, led the management of battlefield wounds and suture techniques in resource-limited environments. Finally, Dr Charles Kachungunu led the management of head trauma and how to deliver excellent nursing care.
During other practical sessions, the surgeons learned how to do a craniotomy to stop serious bleeding, as well as suture techniques to manage wounds in war and low-resource contexts.
A thirst to learn
“Our first workshop, funded by the David Nott Foundation, was a success. We chose doctors and medical professionals who really needed training. It was a big moment for us.
We now want to focus on training in other places that need us the most – villages deep in the Congo forest. Learning simple procedures, like how to secure broken limbs, could really help people that cannot move to other hospital easily.”
We remain committed to supporting medical professionals living and working in countries impacted by war and disaster.
24 doctors trained during 1st UK course with Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh
For the first time in partnership with Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), we delivered a Hostile Environment Surgical Training UK (HEST-UK) course to equip 24 surgeons from across the globe with vital skills needed to save lives in conflict and disaster zones.
Aimed at medical professionals who work in, or are planning to travel to, conflict and catastrophe zones around the world, our HEST-UK course brought together surgeons from across the globe, including Australia, Poland, Finland, Denmark, Libya and six from Ukraine, for a transformative week of intensive training.
This marks the beginning of our brand-new partnership with RCSEd, joining forces to upskill humanitarian surgeons and frontline trainers in the making. Our course combined trauma case presentations taken straight from war zones like in Syria, our cutting-edge teaching models designed especially for our use, and human cadavers.
Dr Igor Belkin, HEST-UK participant and surgeon from Ukraine who we sponsored to join our training, said:
“The course was great! All frontline methods were described in detail in theory, and then with the help of DNF trainers, we then worked on and learned more about using cadavers.
These skills are always useful, especially in a country that is at war. After completing another DNF course in Zaporizhizhia in February 2023, I used many learnings in field surgery. Now in Edinburgh, I got even more practice with cadavers.”
Dr Senka Stojanovic, HEST-UK participant and general surgeon from Poland, said:
"Now, possibly more than ever during our lifetimes, the world is fraught with problems of growing divisions and inequality, which among other things impacts access to quality healthcare, affecting not only the current generation, but future ones as well.
I felt incredibly fortunate and grateful for the opportunity to learn first-hand from some of the leading experts in the field.
"The wealth of experience and practical tips brought by the faculty was unmatched and cannot be found in textbooks or surgical atlases."
I highly recommend this unique course to any surgeons who plan to or already work in humanitarian settings around the globe, but who need to build on their confidence and skill to provide surgical care outside of their surgical specialties."
Mariette Naud-Betteridge, Director of Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement at RCSEd, said:
“Witnessing the course first-hand revealed the extensive practice and diverse disciplines required to deliver surgical care in conflict zones. Not only did the course’s structure and the dedication of David and his faculty bring challenging cases to life, the delegates' intense focus and eagerness to learn emphasised the course’s relevance and necessity.
Collaboration between the David Nott Foundation and RCSEd demonstrates our shared commitment to equipping medical professionals with the critical skills and confidence needed to save lives in the most demanding situations. Special thanks also to all who supported the course, including sponsors B. Braun, Essity, and Stryker. RCSEd look forward to welcoming back the DNF team and a new set of delegates in December for the next HEST-UK Course.”
As fighting intensifies across Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan and beyond, there has never been a greater need for skilled, humanitarian surgeons around the world. That’s why our programme of bespoke training courses are so vital and we will continue to grow our international network of war doctors.