Simulation Center

As one of the largest state-of-the-art simulation facilities in the nation, UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Simulation Center creates real-life environments through cutting edge technologies, such as virtual reality, for health care learners to develop in to becoming effective, compassionate, and competent clinicians. Our enhanced simulation program integrates best practice educational theories, high fidelity environments, and innovative teaching modalities.

We provide learning opportunities to all disciplines and practitioner populations promoting UT Southwestern’s vision of the future of medicine, today.

UT Southwestern’s commitment to producing exceptionally trained physicians and to ensuring the highest standards of safety and care has entered an exciting new phase with the Simulation Center.

What is Simulation?

Simulation involves training health care providers for experiences that they’ll encounter in the real world – and helps expand the breadth and depth of their skills by offering a safe environment, where they have the opportunity to reach mastery.

Like the practice of medicine itself, the training of physicians and other health care professionals has evolved as new technologies and methods have appeared.

Today’s training often involves the use of high-tech simulators that closely replicate diseases and conditions that physicians encounter in the real world.

For patients, simulation training enhances the quality and safety of care they receive as providers are better prepared and more proficient during their training years and as they enter practice.

For trainees, simulation provides experiential learning, in real world setting, where they can develop required skills, knowledge, and attitudes to become exceptional clinicians.

Through simulation, learners are exposed to multiple aspects of patient care, giving them an opportunity to practice clinical and behavioral skills, including:

  • Clinical reasoning and decision-making
  • Effective interprofessional teamwork
  • Medical crisis resolution
  • Proper communication
  • Safe and effective procedures

We offer fully integrated simulation-based learning for health care students, residents, and fellows in our graduate medical education program.

The Sixth Annual Quality Improvement and Research Forum

The UT Southwestern Simulation Center will host its Sixth Annual Simulation-Based Quality Improvement and Research Forum on May 17, 2023 in-person and virtually. This year’s keynote speaker will feature Laura K. Rock, M.D., pulmonologist and critical care physician at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School.

This forum is intended to bring individuals together from a broad array of backgrounds, all with a common interest in health care simulation quality improvement and research. There will be poster and oral presentations, and work that has been previously presented or published is welcome. Additionally, new ideas under development can seek mentorship via our emerging ideas section.

Register to Attend

Simulation Innovation Award (SIA) Nominee Submission

On behalf of Charles M. Ginsburg, M.D.

Calling all expert simulationists with an interest in research – apply now for the Simulation Innovation Award (SIA)

This is an award of $10,000 that will be immediately available for faculty members on the Clinician-Educator Track.

The goal of the award is provide financial support for projects designed to facilitate the growth of state of the art simulation research or curricular design. There will be five awards.

A department chair at UT Southwestern will nominate candidates for SIA support. The candidate must have a full-time faculty appointment with an interest in simulation-based scholarly activities and a sufficient time commitment from the department chair to complete the designated project.

The program requires nomination by the respective chair, a letter of commitment from the designated mentor, a written proposal, a budget and a departmental commitment of matching funding. Outcome markers will include one or more of the following: presentation(s) at peer-reviewed meetings, publication(s) in peer-reviewed journals, receipt of competitive funding, a copyright, a patent, the incorporation of the product of the project into the UME or GME core curriculums and/or the creation of a successful scholarly collaboration with a colleague in the THR network. An additional year of funding may be available.

Applications will be accepted throughout the academic year and should be addressed to Deborah Del Pino. Deborah.DelPino@UTSouthwestern.edu

Simulation Representative

Dear UT Southwestern students,

The integration of simulation in your educational curricula is rapidly growing! To enhance student acceptability and grow simulation advocacy amongst UT Southwestern students, the Simulation Center has formed a Simulation Governance Student Sub-Committee tasked with growing and enhancing simulation-based activities at the Simulation Center.

As this Sub-Committee grows, the Simulation Center is searching for students with a passion for medical education and simulation who are interested in a leadership position as a Simulation Representative for their respective student body. In addition to informing the Simulation Center about student satisfaction with existing simulation activities, Simulation Representatives will help shape the direction of simulation-based education at UT Southwestern.

In brief, the responsibilities of the Simulation Representatives include attending education-focused meetings and sharing the student perspective with Simulation Center leadership. Representatives will also work closely with education leaders and mentors across campus and specialties to improve simulation-based initiatives and activities. More information regarding the position and selection process can be found in the Sub-Committee Constitution.

If you are interested in this position, we invite you to complete the application below consisting of the submission of a Curriculum Vitae and Letter of Interest. The deadline to submit an application is March 10, 2023 at 11:59pm. We hope you consider this opportunity to enhance medical education through simulation at UT Southwestern!

Simulation Representative Application

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to devin.shah@utsouthwestern.edu Devin Shah. We look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,
Simulation Center Leadership