As the College of Medicine celebrates Healthcare Simulation Week, two staff members have earned international certification by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH).
Mary Ann Reiner, standardized patient (SP) program manager, and Jennifer Neal, SP educator, received the Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator recognition, which affirms their expertise and proficiency in all aspects of medical simulation education.
The goal of simulation is simple, says Jason Konzelmann, director of the medical school鈥檚 : Simulate real world experiences so students can learn and practice their skills in a safe environment.
鈥淢ary Ann and Jennifer鈥檚 dedication to advancing our simulation programs has now been formally acknowledged on an international level,鈥� Konzelmann says, noting that SSH is the world鈥檚 largest organization dedicated to healthcare simulation.
鈥淢edicine is changing so quickly,鈥� says Reiner, who oversees 91 standardized patients ranging in age from 19 to 81. 鈥淚t鈥檚 our responsibility to develop high-quality simulations that allow students to practice their clinical and procedural skills as well as communication and critical thinking.鈥�
Neal says that she loves seeing students’ progress and gain confidence in their medical knowledge and ability to connect with patients.
鈥淲orking with simulated and standardized patients gives them the opportunity to see how real people react to them and to their questions,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey see what works and what doesn鈥檛, all in a safe place.鈥�
Konzelmann came to 激情快播 with his SSH certifications, so this recognition triples the number of certified educators at the simulation center. This year鈥檚 Healthcare Simulation Week, held from Sept. 16-20, carries the theme of Launchpad to Legacy: What鈥檚 Your Next? In addition to supporting SSH certifications for more staff, Konzelmann鈥檚 goal is to obtain accreditation for the entire staff.
鈥淎ccreditation for the center, like certification for our team, can only serve to elevate our program and further enhance the overall reputation of the 激情快播 College of Medicine,鈥� he says.
As part of that effort, Clinical Skills and Simulation team members will present in nine different sessions and engage with simulation faculty and staff from around the world at the 25th annual International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare conference held in Orlando, Florida, Jan. 10-14, 2025.
