Competition team wins gold at international championships in Poland

Almost 24 hours of intense competition, challenging emergency scenarios day and night, and a total of around 60 teams from across Europe: The emergency medical competition team from the Styrian Hospital Association (KAGes) and the Medical University of Graz took first place in the international rankings at the 23rd International Emergency Medical Services Championships in Poland.

From 9 to 11 September 2026, around 50 Polish ambulance teams and ten international teams gathered in Olsztyn, Poland, to demonstrate their skills under conditions as close to real-life scenarios as possible. Alongside Austria, teams from the United Kingdom, Greece, Hungary, Cyprus, Slovakia, Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine took part.

Anastasia Grumeth, Bernhard Kowalski, Gerhard Andrieu and Marcel Schaffarczyk competed on behalf of KAGes and the Medical University of Graz. The multi-professional team of four has many years’ practical experience in pre-hospital emergency care, gained whilst working at the Austrian Red Cross, Graz City Branch. 

Emergency medicine in real time

The participants had to make complex medical decisions within a very short time, coordinate tasks as a team and treat seriously injured or acutely ill patients. The teams were assessed by experienced international expert judges.

The elaborately staged scenarios were closely modelled on real-life emergencies. Among the particular challenges was the care of a patient with severe burns, provided in collaboration with the fire service.

In another scenario, a child involved in an accident with a congenital blood clotting disorder and severe bleeding had to be treated. 

A dramatic diving accident, carried out in collaboration with the water rescue service, and the management of a severe trauma following a road traffic accident also presented the team with complex medical and organisational challenges. Professional accident simulators and realistic operational conditions ensured that the participants had to work under considerable time pressure and with the need to make rapid decisions, much as they would in actual emergencies.

24 hours under intense pressure

The competition tasks spanned day and night. Limited time, unfamiliar scenarios and ongoing assessment required not only medical expertise but, above all, clear communication, rapid prioritisation and seamless teamwork.

“Competitions like this are a great opportunity for us to learn together and improve as a team. The scenarios demonstrate very clearly what works well under high pressure and where we can further improve our procedures. At the same time, we benefit enormously from the exchange with international teams and experts. The experience gained internationally is particularly valuable for our day-to-day work and patient care, and at the same time feeds back into our organisation as knowledge,” says team leader Bernhard Kowalski.

Med Uni Graz and KAGes offer their warmest congratulations on this outstanding success!