WAR! Just this word alone can run chills down the spine for most of us. But there are people like today's guest who would do anything they can to make a difference for the good even if it means endangering their life.
Retired General Surgeon Tom Rusing MD just recently returned from spending over 30 days in Ukraine. Between all the chaos that it's going through and we discuss his experience there and what made Tom go there in first place.
We go deep into it hence, the discussion took quite some time. So we split the interview in two parts. Here's part 1 of our discussion. Tune in next week for part 2. Till then, enjoy this episode.
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Tom is a Retired General Surgeon from Prescott Arizona. He got his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of Arizona in 1974. Tom graduated from the University of Arizona Medical School in 1978. And did a residency in General Surgery at the University of Texas San Antonio from 1978 - 1983. He did a Fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the University of Minnesota Affiliated Hospitals from 1983 - 1984. Tom was Medical Director at Tumu Tumu Hospital in Kenya from 10/1984 - 3/31/1985. Tom spent a short while in a General Surgery Practice in Tucson Arizona 1985 - 1986. And then moved to Prescott Arizona where he had a General Surgery Practice from 1986 till he retired on 12/31/2017.
Tom provided medical care in Haiti for 2 weeks after the earthquake. He also provided medical care in Nepal for 2 weeks after the earthquake. He worked at the Gallup (New Mexico) Indian Medical Center for 1 month during the peak of the COVID outbreak. He was a volunteer in Ukraine from 3/13/2022 to 4/15/2022.
He is married to his wife of Cathey and has grown kids. Tom is a classmate of mine from Brophy College Prep in Phoenix Arizona.
A bit about me (Dr. Orest Komarnyckyj):
Dr. Orest Komarnyckyj enjoyed a prestigious career as a periodontal regenerative surgeon moving to a new passion in June 2018. He retired after a 33-year career to pursue new passions. At 69 Dr. Orest has taken on a new role as an Interviewer, Podcaster and government-certified Old Guy. He streams from his new home in Las Vegas, NV. He lives with his wife of 29 years, Oksana. His status as an empty-nesters with two out of college-employed children has left him with time and energy to share decades of successes, failures, and wisdom.
Connect with Tom at:
email: tomrusing@gmail.com
phone no: 9287133736
Timestamps:
00:00 - Precap
00:40 - Intro
01:51 - Guest introduction
04:55 - What's the most important thing you've done today?
05:27 - What made you decide to go to Ukraine?
09:13 - Did you go with a group, or as a private individual? How did you get into the country?
12:25 - Commercial
12:58 - Commercial ends/What was the first place in Ukraine that you end up in? Take us a little bit through your travels, what you were first going to do.
21:40 - What was different this time? Risk management
23:00 - Getting into Lviv
28:12 - Decision to go to Kyiv
28:01 - Outro