ZSMPhU Faculty Members Complete Training on the Fundamentals of Simulation-Based Education for Medical Educators

"Simulation-based education is a space where mistakes become opportunities for growth rather than threats." Under this motto, the training course "Fundamentals of Simulation-Based Education for Medical Educators" was held in Kyiv and was also attended by faculty members from Zaporizhzhia State Medical and Pharmaceutical University.

The training was organized within the framework of the Ukrainian-Swiss Medical Education Development Project, implemented by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute with financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Such activities aim to build a community of educators who are proficient in the modern principles of simulation-based education and are capable of effectively integrating simulation technologies into the educational process.

Twelve faculty members from ZSMPhU representing various clinical departments took part in the training: Oleksandr Tokarenko, Associate Professor of the Department of Internal Diseases No. 2; Kyrylo Hanchev, Associate Professor of the Department of Propaedeutic and Surgical Dentistry; Kateryna Zymnia, Assistant of the Department of General Surgery; Tetiana Levchuk-Vorontsova, Assistant of the Department of Pediatrics; Yevhenii Bilykh and Vladyslav Chornyi, Assistants of the Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics; Tetiana Sahaidak, Assistant of the Department of Phthisiology and Pulmonology; Mykhailo Kyrychenko, Assistant of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Anastasiia Dronova, Assistant of the Department of Neurology; Artem Protsenko and Karyna Chmul, Assistants of the Department of Hospital Surgery; and Dmytro Dats, Assistant of the Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine and Sports Medicine.

The training program was designed to ensure maximum participant engagement. Instead of traditional lectures, it featured hands-on sessions, small-group work, analysis of clinical scenarios, and practical exercises on conducting effective debriefings. Particular emphasis was placed on developing skills in providing constructive feedback.

During the course, participants mastered one of the core principles of simulation-based education—shifting from emotional judgments to the analysis of objective facts. Rather than using general statements such as "poor communication" or "that was wrong," the educators learned to formulate evidence-based observations that encourage students to independently reflect on their decisions and strengthen their clinical thinking. Another important component of the training focused on practicing open-ended questions that foster self-reflection and support the professional development of future healthcare professionals.

The knowledge and practical skills acquired during the training will be integrated into the educational process at Zaporizhzhia State Medical and Pharmaceutical University. The implementation of modern simulation-based teaching methods will enhance the quality of students' practical training, strengthen their clinical thinking and teamwork skills, and provide a safe environment for developing essential professional competencies.