Between 2 and 6 June 2025, Semmelweis University once again hosted the Emergency Management of Battlefield Injuries (EMBI) course for the second consecutive year. Organised within the framework of a strategic collaboration between the NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine (NATO MILMED COE), the Val-du-Grâce Military Medical School of France, and Semmelweis University, the EMBI course has become a widely recognised event within the international military medical community.

The foundation of this close institutional partnership was laid in 2024 with the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement by Professor Béla Merkely, Rector of Semmelweis University, and Colonel Dr László Fazekas, Director of NATO MILMED COE. Since then, the collaboration has matured into a truly fruitful and content-rich partnership. One of the most tangible results of this cooperation is the EMBI course itself, the academic accreditation of which is formally managed by the university.

The central venue of the training is the Department of Pathology, Forensic and Insurance Medicine at Semmelweis University, which provides not only an infrastructural but also a professional backbone to the event. The Director of the Department, Professor Dr András Kiss, M.D., PhD, D.Sc., together with his dedicated team, plays a key role in preparing and delivering the practical training day of the programme. Their precise, exemplary and highly committed support has become indispensable to maintaining the educational excellence of the course.

The main thematic focus of this year’s EMBI course was shaped by the novel and complex challenges emerging from the war in Ukraine and the adaptive responses developed in theatre.
The EMBI course is unique in its interdisciplinary reach, addressing the full spectrum of military and civilian medical professionals—from Combat Life Saver (CLS)-level first responders to surgical practitioners and strategic planners.

The five-day training culminates in an intensive hands-on practical day, which includes the following core components:

• Three skill laboratory modules
• Four cadaveric trauma workshops
• One virtual reality simulation station, supported by Meta Quest 3 headsets and SimX software

The curriculum encompasses a broad range of mission-critical topics, such as:

• The theory and application of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC)
• Mass Casualty (MASCAL) management
• MEDEVAC and STRATEVAC evacuation protocols
• Thoracic surgical procedures, including clamshell thoracotomy
• The treatment of burns and other battlefield-related injuries
• NATO-standard triage principles
• Operational medical lessons learned from the Ukrainian theatre of war

In 2025, the course welcomed 44 participants from 23 countries, while the instructional staff comprised 20 experts representing 9 nations: the United States, Israel, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Germany, and Hungary. The academic lead of the programme was Brigadier General Professor Dr Paul Balandraud, Director of Val-du-Grâce, while the Course Director was First Lieutenant Attila Kecskés, Training Officer at NATO MILMED COE, who marked his tenth consecutive year of coordinating the EMBI course.

As a symbolic gesture of appreciation for the outstanding and enduring cooperation, the Director of NATO MILMED COE presented a ceremonial dagger to Professor Dr András Kiss, which was formally handed over by Colonel Dr Zoltán Vekerdi, Head of the Training Branch, during the closing ceremony of the course.

Continuously evolving, the EMBI course is revised annually to reflect the most recent developments in battlefield medicine and trauma care. Its primary objective remains unchanged: to ensure that participants return to their respective institutions equipped with highly relevant, practice-oriented, and operationally applicable knowledge—well-prepared, confident, and current.