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’s : Simulate real world experiences so students can learn and practice their skills in a safe environment.

β€œMary Ann and Jennifer’s dedication to advancing our simulation programs has now been formally acknowledged on an international level,” Konzelmann says, noting that SSH is the world’s largest organization dedicated to healthcare simulation.

β€œMedicine is changing so quickly,” says Reiner, who oversees 91 standardized patients ranging in age from 19 to 81. β€œIt’s our responsibility to develop high-quality simulations that allow students to practice their clinical and procedural skills as well as communication and critical thinking.”

Neal says that she loves seeing students’ progress and gain confidence in their medical knowledge and ability to connect with patients.

β€œWorking with simulated and standardized patients gives them the opportunity to see how real people react to them and to their questions,” she says. β€œThey see what works and what doesn’t, all in a safe place.”

Konzelmann came to ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ with his SSH certifications, so this recognition triples the number of certified educators at the simulation center. This year’s Healthcare Simulation Week, held from Sept. 16-20, carries the theme of Launchpad to Legacy: What’s Your Next? In addition to supporting SSH certifications for more staff, Konzelmann’s goal is to obtain accreditation for the entire staff.

β€œAccreditation for the center, like certification for our team, can only serve to elevate our program and further enhance the overall reputation of the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ College of Medicine,” 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.