DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF THE TRAINING COURSE FOR SCHOOLTEACHERS “FIRST ON THE SCENE” AT UKRAINIAN MEDICAL UNIVERSITIES (THE EU CO-FUNDED ERASMUS+ PROJECT SIMS ‘SIMULATION MEDICINE AND SCENARIO-BASED LEARNING FOR EMERGENCY CARE’)

The EU co-funded Erasmus+ project SimS (Simulation Medicine and Scenario-Based Learning for Emergency Care) aims to improve first aid and emergency care training in Ukraine. As part of this initiative, a certified training course for schoolteachers titled “First on the Scene: First Aid and Psychological Support in Emergencies”, has been developed and implemented across three Ukrainian medical universities. This paper describes the pedagogical approach adopted for the course and presents the results of its assessment and evaluation. The course was designed by educators from Ukrainian partner universities following a train-the-trainer programme led by European experts. The pedagogical approach centred on scenario-based learning (SBL), integrating virtual cases with hands-on simulation training. This methodology was designed to promote experiential learning, critical thinking and the practical application of first aid and psychological support skills. A total of 160 schoolteachers completed the course. Its effectiveness was evaluated using pre- and post-training tests, as well as an evaluation survey which assessed perceived skill improvement, confidence and satisfaction with the course. The majority of teachers demonstrated significant knowledge improvement and reported feeling more competent and confident in their ability to provide first aid and psychological support. They also expressed high satisfaction with the course and its relevance to their professional roles. The 'First on the Scene' training course successfully prepared teachers to respond to emergencies in schools. The findings support the use of scenario-based and simulation training to build emergency response capacity among non-medical professionals, highlighting the importance of equipping schoolteachers with these vital skills.