The ability of Ukrainians to provide professional and timely medical assistance is now a matter of survival, as Russian rockets and drones attack our peaceful cities every day. That’s why last year the Ukrainian Red Cross, together with French partners, founded a new vocational college. The main goal of the institution is to teach as many Ukrainians as possible to save lives, because you never know when this skill will be needed.
Svitlana’s Story
Svitlana Ovchar has been out of school for a long time, but last year she enrolled in the college to study nursing. Ten years of successful experience in the beauty industry led her to the need to acquire basic medical education to expand her own business.
“Why, after ten years of practice, did I go to study at a medical institution? Because I’m engaged in cosmetology, and I really need it for the health and safety of my clients. I must clearly understand what complications can arise and how to help people in time.”
About her studies at the college, the woman says
“We’ve already finished our first year. Do we have an understanding? Of course. I knew a lot from practice before, but here we delve deep into anatomy and medical practice. Ahead of us is practice in a private clinic, so there will be even more practical skills. It’s not hard to learn if you really strive for knowledge, it’s easy.”
Svitlana says that in the field in which she earns her living, knowledge is gold. People always want to work with a professional, not an amateur.
“In general, a medical diploma may not be necessary for tattoo artists or piercers, but for a professional cosmetologist, it’s a standard. Modern clients pay close attention to the presence of medical education, especially when it comes to complex procedures, injections, or facial manipulations.”
Now the woman is being taught basic professional skills, including how to provide emergency care, properly administer injections prescribed by a doctor, and care for patients. After completing her studies, she will receive a state diploma and will be able to work in both public hospitals and private clinics.
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“A nurse should not be a doctor’s shadow”: a new look at the profession
Alexander Babenko, a college teacher, is convinced that basic medical education is an ideal start for a medical career if a student plans to become a doctor in the future.
“We’ve finished our first year of study, and the admissions committee is now starting to work. The rules are clear: we accept applicants after the 9th grade and with a complete secondary education. Students based on the 9th grade first take a high-quality course in general education subjects. Those who have already finished school immediately move on to fundamental disciplines: human anatomy, physiology, microbiology, virology with immunology, medical chemistry, and biology.”
According to Alexander Babenko, there are still several false stereotypes surrounding this profession.
“Today, there is an outdated stereotype that a nurse or a paramedic is just a person who ‘injected and left.’ The Ukrainian Red Cross has contributed to the development of new standards for nursing. The nurse of the future should not be a doctor’s shadow. Following the example of developed countries, she will have the right to a certain autonomous practice within her knowledge – the right to primary diagnosis and appointment. This is a self-sufficient, professional position.”
To become a real professional in the medical field, it’s not enough to study at a university for six years. You also need an internship and practice.
“If a person dreams of becoming a doctor, going through the path from a nurse/paramedic (and at the same time being an orderly on an ambulance) – this is an ideal prelude. Then, the person who comes to a higher educational institution is someone who knows the medical system from the inside and is consciously ready to take the Hippocratic oath.”
To hone their skills, the college is equipped with modern simulation and imitation classes with the best mannequin models, and the college’s teachers are practicing doctors.
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Features of the 2026 admission campaign and training conditions
About the conditions of admission, cost, and benefits of the college, Oksana Romashova, who is in charge of this year’s entrants, told in detail.
Terms of study and diplomas:
- Based on the 9th grade: 3 years and 10 months (with the possibility of simultaneously obtaining a complete secondary education).
- Based on the 11th grade: 2 years and 10 months.
- Qualification: junior bachelor (nurse/paramedic). State diplomas, the institution is officially registered in the YEDEBO database.
Admission conditions:
- After the 9th grade: applicants pass an interview in the Ukrainian language and write a motivational letter.
- Based on the 11th grade: Admission to the college is possible without the NMT. Applicants take internal tests in the Ukrainian language and provide a motivational letter.
Oksana Romashova says that to enter, an applicant must register an electronic cabinet on the “Entrant 2026” website, submit an application that will be displayed in the YEDEBO database. Based on these applications, lists are formed, and people are invited for an interview and testing.
“Our main advantages for parents and students are strong practice from the first days: in simulation cabins, children learn to do all kinds of injections, conduct resuscitation, and even give birth. We have a strong teaching staff, mostly practicing doctors. There is a modern material base. A large library with valuable applied scientific publications, a computer and reading room, comfortable conditions. Also, among the advantages is the cost of training. We conducted a screening and realized that the cost of training is the lowest among Ukrainian medical colleges. The cost of training per year is 16,000 hryvnias” -, says Romashova.
After graduating from the college, graduates receive a sought-after profession, with which they can immediately go to work in public or private medical centers, develop in the beauty and massage industry, or continue their studies at higher education institutions to obtain a doctor’s qualification.
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