Medical Simulation Fellowship

A Fellowship for All Disciplines

The Indiana University School of Medicine Medical Simulation Fellowship is based in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and the program is open to doctors across all specialties in medicine as well as medical school graduates outside of the United States. Fellows have the opportunity to develop expertise in the educational, administrative and research aspects of simulation and receive the leadership training necessary to direct their own simulation program. Simulation training takes place at the Indiana University Health Simulation Center at Fairbanks Hall. The program ranges from one to two years and accepts two fellows per year.

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With access to the latest technology in a top-notch facility, medical simulation fellows learn from experts in the field while becoming proficient in medical simulation. The Medical Simulation Fellowship is open to physicians across all specialties in medicine.

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30,000 square-foot state-of-the-art simulation center

50,000 learner hours of education per year

1,000 events per year

Education Program

Simulation Curriculum Development

Fellows in this program gain experience developing a formal simulation-based curriculum using Kern’s six-step conceptual framework. They work closely with the fellowship leadership to assist other departments in improving or developing their curricula. Several former fellows have presented and published novel innovative simulation-based curricula.

Simulation Operations

Medical Simulation fellows work closely with the simulation center director and managers to develop a strong understanding of how to execute the daily functions of a busy simulation center. They are involved in establishing training in a variety of practice environments (regardless of personal specialty) in the operating theatre, emergency department, intensive care unit, outpatient office setting, EMS and disaster response, and they participate in a wide variety of in-situ opportunities at both pediatric and adult hospitals. Fellows gain a greater understanding of which task-trainers and simulators to utilize to maximize the educational benefit of the identified learners. Additionally, fellows gain valuable experience with budget management, billing, course scheduling, inventory management, and simulation center staff and faculty development.

Research

Fellows receive close guidance on how to develop, execute and write up a simulation-based research project. All fellows must complete a first author research project submitted to the program director ready for submission to a medical journal by the end of fellowship. Additionally, fellows mentor a junior learner through simulation case preparation and piloting. This provides the fellow with further preparation and training in formal mentorship in their future role as a mentor and simulation faculty member. Fellows who elect to pursue a second year of fellowship have additional time to develop expertise under the guidance of faculty and co-author additional manuscripts and grants.

Debriefing

Fellows have numerous opportunities to debrief learners from a wide variety of disciplines and levels of training, ranging from students to seasoned faculty. Indiana University School of Medicine and the Indiana University School of Nursing are the biggest medical school and nursing school, respectively, in the United States. The simulation faculty regularly observe and debrief the simulation fellow’s debriefings to ensure rapid proficiency in this critical skill. Fellows are actively involved in the Interprofessional Practice and Education Center at Indiana University.

Educational Theory

Fellows employ a variety of learning theories and conceptual frameworks to a multitude of learners from different disciplines. The development of expertise in understanding which approach works best for which learners is developed in the rich environment provided in one of the busiest simulation centers in the United States.

Administration

Fellows gain critical skills needed to execute the administrative duties of a simulation medical director. Additionally, they learn how to develop a business plan for typical hospital-based simulation programs, undergo training for grant writing and simulation center design. Fellows spend time with simulation administrators and progressively earn additional administrative responsibilities in one of the largest and busiest simulation centers in the United States in preparation for their future role as a simulation director.

Simulation Training Facilities

The IU Health Simulation Center at Fairbanks Hall serves as the primary training site. It is a 30,000 square-foot facility containing ten clinic rooms, five inpatient rooms, three acute care rooms, an operating room, a delivery suite and a simulated ambulance bay. Multiple high-fidelity and low-fidelity mannequins are available, including adults, children, babies, newborns and a birthing mother. The center is equipped with dedicated debriefing rooms with full AV support to debrief and support skill development. Additional training sites include: