SIMULATION TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTH CARE FORUM 2026: UKRAINE SHAPES A NEW ARCHITECTURE OF MEDICAL EDUCATION IN LINE WITH EUROPEAN STANDARDS
On 15–16 May 2026, the Simulation Technologies in Health Care Forum 2026 took place in Kyiv, hosted by the PL Shupyk National Health Care University of Ukraine. The Forum became one of the year’s leading professional events dedicated to advancing simulation-based healthcare education, reforming medical training, and supporting Ukraine’s integration into the European educational framework.
🤝 The event brought together representatives of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, medical universities, simulation centers, international professional associations, healthcare education experts, clinicians, technology companies, civil society organizations, and international partners.
🇪🇺 European Integration of Medical Education
One of the Forum’s key messages was Ukraine’s commitment to the systematic implementation of European standards in healthcare workforce education and training.
Participants in the international panel discussions emphasized that modern medical education cannot exist without simulation-based learning, standardized assessment of clinical competencies, and the digital transformation of educational processes.
International speakers and experts highlighted the remarkable progress achieved by Ukrainian simulation centers despite the challenges of wartime and expressed strong interest in expanding collaborative projects with Ukrainian educational institutions.
Particular attention was paid to aligning educational programs with:
- WFME standards;
- AMEE educational approaches;
- the requirements of the EU Directive 2005/36/EU;
- International competency-based education models.
🔄 A New Forum Format: From Presentations to Professional Dialogue
For the first time, the Simulation Technologies in Health Care Forum 2026 adopted the format of large-scale interdisciplinary panel discussions involving Ukrainian and international experts, practicing physicians, educators, military medical professionals, and healthcare policy makers.
This format facilitated an open professional dialogue and the development of practical solutions for the healthcare and medical education systems of Ukraine, moving beyond traditional lecture-based presentations.
📌 Dedicated panel sessions addressed:
- simulation technologies in tactical medicine;
- mental health;
- nursing education;
- digitalization of practical training;
- modern approaches to clinical competency assessment;
- training of examiners and standardized patients.
🛠️ Practical Solutions for OSCE and the New Internship Model
Following the Forum, the professional community developed a series of practical recommendations for modernizing the assessment of healthcare professionals’ clinical skills.
📈 Key priorities include:
- establishing a nationwide network of centers for conducting OSCEs and standardized practical examinations;
- standardizing clinical scenarios;
- harmonizing assessment checklists and evaluation criteria;
- developing examiner training and certification programs;
- introducing transparent appeals procedures;
- implementing competency-based assessment approaches.
Forum participants also endorsed the need to revise the national internship framework and establish a new model of practice-oriented postgraduate medical training with extensive use of simulation technologies.
💻 A Unified National Repository of Clinical Scenarios and Practical Skills
An important outcome of the Forum was the presentation of the concept for a Unified National Electronic Repository of clinical cases, simulation scenarios, and practical skills algorithms.
The proposed model includes:
- centralized digital platform;
- national standardization of OSCE scenarios;
- integration with learning management systems (LMS), eHealth, and continuing professional development (CPD) systems;
- application of evidence-based medicine principles;
- expert peer review and quality assurance mechanisms.
The establishment of such a repository is regarded as one of the fundamental components of the digital transformation of medical education in Ukraine and its integration into the European educational area.
🎓 Continuing Professional Development: New Approaches and Practical Competencies
Forum participants supported the need to modernize the national CPD system with a stronger focus on:
- practical skills;
- regular simulation-based training;
- interdisciplinary collaboration;
- assessment of clinical competencies;
- education and training in crisis and wartime conditions.
🎯 Special attention was paid to expanding simulation-based education in:
- nursing;
- tactical medicine;
- emergency care;
- mental health;
- pharmacy;
- teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in healthcare.
🇺🇦 Ukraine is Shaping the Future of Medical Education
The Simulation Technologies in Health Care Forum 2026 demonstrated that simulation-based healthcare education in Ukraine is evolving from isolated initiatives into a comprehensive national policy for practical medical training.
The Forum served as a platform for uniting the expert community around a shared vision: building a modern, safe, evidence-based, and European-oriented medical education system capable of addressing both the challenges of wartime and the needs of Ukraine’s post-war recovery.
A final Resolution containing recommendations for government authorities, educational institutions, and the professional community has been developed as an outcome of the Forum to support the further advancement of simulation technologies in Ukraine’s healthcare system.
🌐 The resolution and recording of the Forum sessions are available on the event website. After registration, participants can access the full video archive: https://simmedforum2026.uashc.org
