THE DEVELOPMENT АND ROLE OF SIMULATION-BASED EDUCATION IN PEDIATRICS TEACHING IN BOGOMOLETS NATIONAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY IN THE FRAME OF ERASMUS+ UKRAINEDIGITRANS PROJECT

Abstract

Medical education in Ukraine is currently undergoing substantial challenges associated with the limitations of traditional bedside teaching and the consequences of the ongoing full-scale war, which has significantly affected healthcare infrastructure and clinical training bases. The traditional model of training, often described as “see one, do one, teach one,” no longer fully meets the requirements for developing clinical competencies, particularly in pediatric practice where many critical conditions occur relatively rarely. As a result, medical students and residents may have limited changes to learn and manage high-risk pediatric emergencies during their clinical training. Simulation-based education has therefore become an important component of medical training. It provides a structured and safe environment in which learners can repeatedly practice clinical procedures, develop diagnostic reasoning, improve communication skills and strengthen teamwork abilities without placing patients at risk. In pediatric education, simulation methods include a wide range of options, i.e. low-fidelity task trainers, high-fidelity computer-controlled mannequins, standardized patient interactions, in situ simulations conducted within real clinical settings and immersive virtual reality environments. These approaches support active learning, enable reflective analysis through debriefing and allow standardized evaluation of clinical competencies. Within the ERASMUS+ UkraineDigiTrans project, the introduction of simulation-based learning at Bogomolets National Medical University represents an important step toward modernization of pediatric medical education and alignment with European competency-based training standards. Further development of simulation infrastructure, systematic faculty training and expansion of interdisciplinary educational programs will be necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of simulation-based learning and to strengthen the quality and resilience of pediatric medical education in Ukraine.