International conference “Military medicine and disaster medicine: what everyone should know” at Kyiv Medical University

On December 5–6, 2025, Kyiv Medical University hosted its annual international scientific and practical conference for students and young scientists, “Military Medicine and Disaster Medicine: What Everyone Should Know.”
The uniqueness of this year’s event lay in its simultaneous organization at two locations — the Main Campus of KMU in Kyiv and the Polish Campus of KMU in Katowice.

At the Kyiv campus, the conference brought together Ukrainian military medicine specialists, representatives of international organizations, faculty members, PhD students, and students.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Oleksandr Pokanevych, President of the University; Borys Ivniev, Rector of KMU; Yurii Piatnytskyi, Vice-Rector for Research; and Serhii Soshynskyi, President of the International Charitable Foundation “Health of the Ukrainian Nation.” The speakers emphasized the crucial role of medical education and science during wartime and the urgent need to train a new generation of highly qualified medical professionals.

The plenary session addressed a wide range of pressing topics, including:

• the organization of military training for future medical professionals;

• modern principles of wartime surgery;

• standardized training programs of the International Committee of the Red Cross;

• the role of basic emergency medical care in training specialists for frontline regions;

• psychological, medical, and rehabilitation aspects of recovery after isolation;

• neurophysiological factors of rehabilitation in wartime conditions.

Conference participants presented research across key thematic areas such as military surgery, internal medicine, tactical medicine, pediatrics, neurophysiology, dentistry, and pharmacy. A broad spectrum of issues was discussed — from the treatment of blast and mine-related injuries and therapeutic challenges of wartime medicine to the rehabilitation of the wounded, psychophysiological correlations of PTSD, and modern DNA/RNA diagnostics in military dentistry. Students, PhD candidates, and young researchers also showcased their own studies, demonstrating both depth and diversity of scientific inquiry — from tactical medicine in combat conditions and clinical cases of blast injuries to child psychology and reproductive health during war.

The Polish campus in Katowice implemented an intensive program that included sectional meetings, workshops, and simulation-based training. Within the framework of the sections, winners were selected in the following areas: fundamental disciplines, surgery and disaster medicine, internal medicine, dentistry, rehabilitation, tactical medicine, public health, and epidemiology.

A key component of the program was practical training, which enabled participants to practice critically important skills:

• working with ambulances and patient transportation strategies;

• airway management and modern ventilation techniques;

• cardiopulmonary resuscitation;

• control of massive bleeding;

• intubation techniques;

• transport immobilization.

Experts from different countries delivered keynote presentations, including:

• Łukasz Pach, on preparing emergency medical teams for crisis situations;

• Michał Łonczyński, on providing medical care and evacuation of the wounded in combat conditions;

• the SimX VR team, on the potential of VR training in civilian and military medicine;

• Tomasz Sanak, on patient evacuation and tactical combat casualty care;

• Professor John Quinn, on principles of “reanimation with damage control.”

KMU faculty members also delivered comprehensive presentations on the implementation of innovative educational components and on medical and psychological aspects of combat-related trauma.

As part of the event, the “Military VR Lab” master class was held, demonstrating the possibilities of full immersion into critical scenarios through virtual reality — from combat injuries to large-scale emergencies.

A significant highlight of the conference was the ceremonial awarding of the title Doctor Honoris Causa to Łukasz Pach, Director of the Voivodeship Emergency Medical Service Station in Katowice.

This recognition expressed gratitude for his long-term contribution to the development of emergency medical services, infrastructure modernization, support for Ukraine, and close cooperation with Kyiv Medical University. Thanks to his initiatives, KMU students have the opportunity to undertake practical training within the Polish emergency medical system, while Ukrainian medical professionals gain access to international training programs and advanced educational opportunities.

The conference became a large-scale platform for professional dialogue, experience exchange, and integration of international approaches in military medicine, disaster medicine, and civilian medicine under wartime conditions. The dual-campus format allowed participants to view modern challenges from multiple perspectives and to acquire valuable practical skills essential for working in today’s complex and high-risk environments.

IMG_3256 (1)

IMG_5518

IMG_5509

IMG_2836

IMG_3151 (1)

IMG_2859 (2)

IMG_3238

IMG_5544

IMG_5527

IMG_5515

IMG_9997

IMG_9931

IMG_9866

IMG_9909

IMG_9818

IMG_0008

IMG_9772

IMG_0083

IMG_0073

IMG_0317

IMG_2981

IMG_2982

IMG_2923

IMG_2941

IMG_2937

IMG_2944

IMG_2928

IMG_0783

1000019171