How should we design and deliver healthcare Simulation Fellowships?  

In this episode of the podcast we discuss the thoughtful approach taken by Michael  Meguerdichian, Komal Bajaj and Katie Walker at NYHHC Sim, and their recent paper on the topic in Advances in Simulation - Fundamental underpinnings of simulation education: describing a four-component instructional design approach to healthcare simulation fellowships. 

We spoke with Michael and Katie from the author team about the background to their Simulation Fellowship program, their strategy for selection and development of Fellows and take a deep dive into the application of Cognitive Load theory and the 4 Component Instructional Design approach they use. We reflect on how the field is developing and what the future holds for issues like curricula and accreditation of Sim Fellowships. 

Happy Listening! 

We revisit Plus Delta Debriefing in the July Journal Club and talk about some new perspectives on a classic technique. Thanks Adam Cheng and many of the team from @Debriefing Academy. We also discuss work demonstrating the association of sim training with improvement in clinical performance in cord prolapse emergencies, and some impressive (if confronting) work on how illness experiences inform simulated participants’ encounters in health profession education.  

We also lamented the closure of BMJ STEL, but look forward to new endeavours by EIC Debra Nestel and team at the International Journal of Healthcare Simulation (IJoHS) 

Happy listening and look forward to next month! 

We know that simulation debriefing can be hard. Poor facilitation risks psychological safety breaches or simply ineffective conversations. Faculty development probably helps us improve, especially if its part of a community of practice. The Meta Debrief Club in NHS Lothian draws on these principles in their monthly ‘debrief the debrief’ sessions. 

Ed Mellanby, Nathan Oliver and Chris Schnieke-Kind offer us the story of how the Meta Debrief Club originated, how it works, and the transformative experience it has been for their faculty. We spoke about the way they enable psychological safety, how they use tools like the DASH and OSAD, and their hopes for broader collaboration. 

Truly inspirational! 

Practising communication, with good feedback, helps us get better at our jobs in healthcare. This is especially important for ‘high stakes communication’ (but really is there any other kind 😊). In this episode of Simulcast, Vic speaks with Laura Rock about her recent paper - Communication as a High-Stakes Clinical Skill: "Just-in-Time" Simulation and Vicarious Observational Learning to Promote Patient- and Family-Centered Care and to Improve Trainee Skill. 

Laura is a pulmonologist and critical care doctor who works in the intensive care unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston, USA, affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Particular interest in communication and teamwork – teaches at her own institution and with CMS, also her writing and speaking. 

Link to promo video here   https://vimeo.com/569125162 

Ben and Vic are joined by Eve Purdy this month to discuss the UK national strategy for simulation, how to prepare for for systems-based simulation (the ‘pre-work phase’) , cultural consideration in simulation debriefing, and how simulations in ACLS training may perpetuate gender bias in emergency medicine. 

We give a shout out to ASPiH, the UK based learned sociality for healthcare simulation, and their conference in November 2021. 

Ben impresses again with his tun of phrase including the ‘visual haiku’, ‘framework mashups’ and ‘paragraph of Purdy’. 

Happy listening and look forward to next month! 

 In this episode Ben shares a lecture he’s given at The Prince Charles Hospital about his journey as an educator and the ways that some of simulation’s foundational concepts have influenced his practice outside of educational spaces.  Through an exploration of psychological safety, above the table negotiation and cultural compression, he invites us to reflect on the ways we generate trust in healthcare, how our words connect us to our colleagues, and how simple acts like clinical handover can impact how we see ourselves and each other. 

References :  

1. Edmondson, Amy C. Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy. Jossey-Bass, 2012.  

1. Rudolph, J., Raemer, D. and Simon, R., 2014. Establishing a Safe Container for Learning in Simulation. Simulation in Healthcare: The Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, 9(6), pp.339-349. 

1. Cheng, A., Palaganas, J., Eppich, W., Rudolph, J., Robinson, T. and Grant, V., 2015. Co-debriefing for Simulation-based Education. Simulation in Healthcare: The Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, 10(2), pp.69-75. 

1. Purdy, E., 2021. Simulation and Cultural Compression. [online] ICE Blog. Available at: [Accessed 22 May 2021]. 

1. Purdy, E., Alexander, C., Caughley, M., Bassett, S. and Brazil, V., 2019. Identifying and Transmitting the Culture of Emergency Medicine Through Simulation. AEM Education and Training, 3(2), pp.118-128. 

Ben and Vic dive into video supported feedback of actual resuscitations in this months Simulcast Journal Club. We review 2 papers on the topic - Filming for auditing of real-life emergency teams: a systematic review - and a case study of a Canadian emergency department experience - Ethical, legal and administrative implications of the use of video and audio recording . In reading these we reflect on the use of video for simulation debriefing, and the challenge of finding good evidence to guide our practice.  

We chat about 2 other articles focuses on debriefing for systems improvement and on team performance under stress. 

Vic suggests we take a look at a UK document outlining a national simulation strategy that might be of interest 

Happy listening and look forward to next month! 

Vic is joined by Susan Eller to review the highlights form the recent SESAM (Society for Simulation in Europe) conference. They pick our messages from the keynote speakers including Vicki LeBlanc, Patrea Andresen, Cristina Diaz-Navarro, and Doris Ostergaard. There are also some reflections on how to run a great virtual conference, and trends in using simulation for systems. Congrats to Marc Lazarovici , SESAM President, and the team 

Translational sim in Action 

In this episode we consider another Advances in Simulation article - Translational simulation: from description to action 

Ben talks with authors Chris Nickson, Steph Barwick and Vic Brazil, and draws out the principles and processes for translational simulation. Chris illustrates the approach describing his own work in ECMO in intensive care 

This month Ben and Vic discuss articles about engaging with children, parents and caregivers in healthcare simulation - as educators, as simulated patients and as learners in sim. 

Ben shares his own experience in  partnering with consumers , and of others in developing “paediatric patient-focused and family-focused simulations” 

Vic reviews a qualitative exploratory analysis of simulation educators perspectives in working with Child and adolescent simulated patients (CASPs), and the experience of the Boston Children’s hospital in their Ready, Sim Go: an adapted simulation service line for patients and care givers. 

Next month – we’re talking all things video, specifically - Video Supported Feedback of Actual Resuscitations.