In the summer of 2025, the Verkhovna Rada voted, and on July 29, the President of Ukraine signed Law No. 4538-IX introducing mandatory military training for medical and pharmaceutical students. This move was a response to the urgent need from the Armed Forces and the healthcare system regarding the shortage of trained military medics, an issue aggravated by the full-scale war. The law comes into effect on January 1, 2026.

Key Provisions of the New Law:

• Mandatory nature:Completing the full officer reserve military training program is now compulsory, not voluntary, for all students studying medical and pharmaceutical specialties (bachelor’s level and above), who are medically fit for service and have passed professional and psychological evaluation.
• Form of training:The training will be conducted in military departments/units based at all higher medical and pharmaceutical educational institutions, regardless of ownership.
• Process organization:Educational institutions are required to organize the appropriate programs — if a military department did not exist before, it must be established.
• Program implementation:Students who do not pass selection based on health are exempt, while the rest must undergo the officer reserve medical training program.

Reasons for these changes:
A key reason for this norm is the shortage of military doctors and pharmacists that became clear during combat operations. Until 2022, such specialists were mainly trained on a voluntary basis: less than 5% of all medical graduates participated. Today’s war format requires far greater resources, rapid mobilization of medical personnel, and readiness to quickly reinforce the military medical service.

Innovations in the education system:

• Expansion of military training departments: The program will ensure either the creation of departments where they did not exist or the expansion of existing ones. Experts note that prior to these changes, such departments operated in only 10 out of 15 medical universities.
• Approval of specialties: The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education coordinate the list of military registration specialties, and the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces determine the volume of training in accordance with state needs.
• Practical component: The program will use existing infrastructure — training grounds, simulation centers, cooperation with military units, and introduce National Resistance courses for basic military skills formation.

Legal and educational nuances:

• For whom is it mandatory? All full-time students pursuing medical/pharmaceutical degrees (in both state and private universities) who are fit both physically and mentally.
• Compliance control: Universities are responsible for organizing the training; refusal to implement it is a violation of the law and licensing requirements.
• Costs and funding: A transparent funding mechanism is expected, both from the state budget and other sources.
• Voluntary elements: Female medical students may participate in practical sessions voluntarily, as per regulations approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Impact on education and the labor market:

• Quality of training: Increasing the reserve of military medical officers will strengthen the country’s defense capacity and make education more adapted to the realities of wartime medicine.
• Labor market: Having more reserve officers among doctors will let young professionals gain extra qualifications and join service more quickly during mobilization or emergencies. For students this is an added burden; for institutions — a change in the educational process.
• Gender aspect: Until now, many female medical students did not undergo military training; it remains optional for them now, though this could change in the future.

Advantages of the initiative:

• A flexible and scalable personnel reserve for the army and support roles.
• Higher quality training of military medics and better adaptation of graduates to wartime realities.
• Raised prestige of the military medic profession.

Possible risks and challenges:

• University load: Not all institutions have the facilities or staff to provide for military training. Support from the Education, Health, and Defense Ministries is required.
• Psychological and academic pressure: The already demanding program may become even harder, affecting performance and motivation.
• Training quality: There is a risk of formality without enough practical experience — real competencies, not box-checking, are necessary.
• Voluntariness for women: Gender balance in the military reserve may remain unequal.

Conclusions:
Starting from 2026, Ukrainian medical and pharmaceutical students fit for military service will be mandatorily trained as medical reserve officers. The law not only meets the demands of the present and wartime, but modernizes the education system and strengthens the military medical reserve. The success of the initiative depends on proper organization, resources, substantive curricula, and consistent support for all participants.

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Author: Ihor Yasko, Managing Partner of the Law Firm “WINNER”, PhD.