Participant of the Regional Competition "Young Person of the Year – 2025" in the Nomination "On Guard for Life" Viktoriia Vynnyk
I am Viktoriia Vynnyk, born in 1994 in Kramatorsk. My journey into medicine began at Kramatorsk Secondary School No. 1, and then, from 2012 to 2015, I studied at Bakhmut Medical College, where I earned a degree in "Medical Care" and graduated with honors. From 2015 to 2020, I studied at the Donetsk National Medical University.
My path in practical medicine started early. From 2015 to 2016, I worked as a ward nurse at the "Children's Territorial Medical Association," and in 2016, at the "City Hospital No. 1" in the dialysis department. From 2020 to 2022, I completed my residency specializing in "general practice - family doctor" at the Donetsk National Medical University and at outpatient clinic No. 3 of the "Primary Health Care Center No. 1."
This period was full of challenges—the COVID-19 pandemic began, and then the full-scale invasion. However, thanks to the support of my mentors, particularly the head of outpatient clinic No. 3, S.O. Olkhovskyi, and the acting head of outpatient clinic No. 3, Ye.O. Yatsura, as well as my patience and tireless work, I was able to overcome difficulties and improve my professional level.
From 2022 to the present day, I have been working as a general practice - family doctor at the "Primary Health Care Center No. 1." In 2023, I expressed a desire to specialize as a "mobile palliative care physician" and successfully completed my studies at the Kyiv Medical University, taking a course on "Inpatient and Outpatient Palliative Care for Seriously Ill Patients." This specialization allowed me to help patients with severe illnesses. During 2024-2025, I participated in a project from donors CARE, "Healthy Solutions," and MEDEVAC, during which I improved the level of palliative care provided by mobile palliative teams.
I also mastered the basic standards for using ultrasound equipment, including the FAST protocol and BLUE protocol, and underwent training and successfully use the mhGAP guidelines in my work with patients, both in palliative care and in family medicine. Due to the constant shelling of Kramatorsk, I mastered the skills of tactical ultrasound application (TUSC-UA) and pre-hospital care for polytrauma to be prepared for the possible consequences for patients and medical staff. To provide more qualitative and comprehensive assistance to the population and palliative patients, I maintain contact with other charitable organizations such as "Doctors of the World" and the "Kramatorsk Association of Volunteers."
In the future, I want to further improve the provision of medical care at the primary level in my team and undergo training in dermoscopy to bring high-quality primary medical care to every patient and to every heart.
My work in Kramatorsk is my conscious decision. Despite all the challenges I faced during my studies and work, I always knew that my place was here, alongside my community. Thanks to the support of my mentors and my tireless work, I was able not only to overcome difficulties but also to discover new areas, such as palliative care. This is my way of supporting those who especially need it and adding more comfort and dignity to their lives. My desire to constantly learn and improve my skills is my contribution to ensuring that my community not only survives but has access to quality medicine, no matter what. With faith in the future and in Ukraine's victory, I continue to work in the frontline city of Kramatorsk.