- 25.09.2026 14:04
A Medical Student’s Duty: Providing First Aid
A new tradition was established today at Tula State University. The university hosted its first-ever professional skills competition for medical students, titled "Urgent Call."
The event was organized with the support of the Medical Institute’s leadership by activists from the TSU Surgery Club: medical residents Maria Petryaeva and Igor Frolov, and sixth-year student Darya Bultacheeva.
Roman Vladimirovich Grachev, Director of the Medical Institute, served as the chairman of the organizing committee. He was assisted by Darya Andreevna Gorlatykh, the deputy director for extracurricular and educational activities.
It is important to note the extensive preparatory work involved. The organizers poured not only their knowledge but their hearts and souls into the project. They wrote the script, planned the logistics, assigned roles, and prepared theoretical materials for the first-year students.
What made the competition particularly interesting was the participation of teams comprising students from different year groups—a factor that greatly enhanced the event. The desire to gain valuable experience, combined with healthy competitive spirit and productive enthusiasm, helped the students not only achieve their goals but also thoroughly enjoy the competition itself.
Many students showed initiative; twenty teams of four were formed to compete. In their eager drive to test themselves and achieve results, the first-year students were every bit the match for their upperclassman counterparts.
Sofya Rogacheva graduated this year from Tula’s K.D. Ushinsky Education Center No. 44 and enrolled in the TSU Medical Institute. She is a sponsored student representing the Tula Center for Disaster Medicine and Emergency Medical Services.
"I decided to take part because I find it really interesting." "I do have some experience—albeit limited," the first-year student shared. "While in school, I was part of a team that competed in first-aid contests. Alongside my regular studies from ninth to eleventh grade, I attended a medical training program at the D.E. Gorshkov Humanities and Mathematics Lyceum (named after the Hero of Russia). I had to pass entrance exams to get in. I also participated in academic competitions organized by the Sirius Educational Center for gifted children and by medical universities in Kursk, Ryazan, and St. Petersburg. I even won competitions in Kursk and Ryazan. I really hope this experience will come in handy!"
Sofya says she made a deliberate choice to attend the Medical Institute at TulSU. She had been working toward this dream since the fifth grade, with her parents offering their full support.
"I’d like to become either a surgeon or an anesthesiologist-resuscitator. The summer before my final year of school, my parents and I were vacationing in Crimea. One day at the beach, I saw a boy—about five or six years old, wearing inflatable armbands—jump off a pier and start to drown. I rushed into the water, swam out to the child, and pulled him to safety. He hadn't swallowed much water. Thank God, everything turned out fine!" Sofya recounted. "I feel that saving lives is my calling—a true calling of the heart."
Aimyrat Ashirov, a fourth-year General Medicine student from Turkmenistan at the Institute of International Education.
"I believe it is the duty of every medical student to provide first aid—regardless of the specialization they choose later on!" "That’s why I decided to take part in the competition. It’s important for me to gain practical experience and test my skills," he emphasized. "I’d like to become a cardiac surgeon; I really love that field."
A ceremonial opening assembly took place before the competition began.
Roman Vladimirovich Grachev welcomed the gathering.
He spoke with particular warmth about the activists from the Surgery Club, noting their enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity. The students had worked hard—hardly sleeping the night before as they prepared—and he expressed hope that the participants would truly appreciate their efforts and that the event would leave a lasting impression.
Just then, a charming cat appeared on the path. Almost entirely black with small patches of white, it strutted past the students with an air of importance, as if reviewing a parade. The contestants took this as a good omen.
"Even though doctors don't believe in superstitions," Roman Vladimirovich said to the students, "this is a sign of good luck!"
He wished all the participants a strong team spirit and effective teamwork.
The competition program involved completing tasks at three stations. Participants had to locate a casualty and the necessary rescue equipment, administer first aid, and transport the victim to a triage zone. There, they sorted the patients based on the severity of their injuries. At the third station, emergency medical care was provided to the casualties.
A few words must also be said about the atmosphere of the competition. Everything reflected excellent staging and meticulous attention to detail. The student actors—members of the Surgery Club acting as casualties—were highly convincing. Special applause goes to the makeup team; the makeup was applied so skillfully that the students looked like genuine trauma victims, a perception that remained with everyone until the very end of the event.
The tasks demanded not only knowledge but also agility, stamina, and quick reactions. Participants had to run to locate the "injured," carefully place them on stretchers, and carry them to the designated stations. Young men from other teams stepped in to assist the women when necessary. No one complained; instead, everyone viewed the effort as both a professional medical obligation and a human duty.
The participants' performance was evaluated by an expert jury that included Roman Vladimirovich Grachev, Surgery Club activists, and senior students.
The team "Catastrophe Medicine" emerged as the overall winner. The team "Challenge Accepted" took second place, while "Bundle of His" (a play on the anatomical term) secured third place.
The students received commemorative gifts.
Every single participant did a fantastic job!
And congratulations to the Medical Institute on this successful debut!
