"The reflective debriefing experience I had during my fellowship transformed me into a better version of myself, not only professionally, but also personally. I have become a better listener with an open mind who is now always interested in listening and trying to understand other people’s perspectives. Work and personal life satisfactions and relationships have improved because people see I value clear and constructive communication to understand them and offer solutions and support to improve for the future for everyone."

“My year spent at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital Advanced Interprofessional Fellowship in Clinical Simulation was incredibly beneficial for my career. I spent the year developing my skills in simulation and medical education where I was able to impact the way code blues are run and taught at our hospital from the organizational, physician, and nursing sides. During my project ‘Using Simulation to Improve the Use of Continuous Waveform Capnography’, I was able to get training in quality improvement and use that to integrate myself into different aspects of the VA organization that I would otherwise not be exposed to, such as, different committees, supply chain and logistics. This fellowship not only gave me dedicated training on how to be adept at simulation, but also gave me a holistic view of how VA hospitals are run. The skills and knowledge I gained during the fellowship helped me get hired into a dream job at the Palo Alto VA as an internal medicine hospitalist/nocturnist with extra non-clinical time to develop projects and teach using simulation.”

I had a fantastic experience as a SimLEARN Fellow during the 2020/2021 year. I applied for the fellowship to become more proficient in incorporating simulation into clinical curricula. However, I learned so much more, and my experience was broader and richer than I ever expected. Even though the COVID -19 pandemic kept us socially distanced, I was fortunate enough to work on-site in a VA simulation center while at the same time engaging virtually with the highly knowledgeable and experienced SimLEARN faculty from across the country. This afforded me the opportunity to readily integrate didactic learning and hands on experience with a multitude of simulation platforms. Also, the interdisciplinary mix of fellows and faculty helped me look at things from different perspectives and to think outside the box when planning educational activities. Finally, the faculty provided incredible mentorship and networking opportunities. It is because of this networking that I was able to transition into my current position as a women Veterans program manager where I continue to facilitate learning for other clinicians.

The SimLEARN Interprofessional Advanced Clinical Simulation Fellowship gave me the opportunity to combine my interests and skills to enhance my profession. I learned how to use all simulation modalities for assessment, education, research and health system integration purposes. Simulation is a platform for me to combine my love of clinical education, research and interprofessional collaboration to create programs for the healthcare team. I learned how to use educational theory, needs assessment and root cause analysis to best meet the needs of the teams I work with.
Working with colleagues across the Veterans Health Administration to create programs that help us better serve our Veterans is a rewarding experience. My goal-directed fellowship plan included learning the administrative and leadership aspects of running a simulation program and a simulation fellowship. This led to my current role as SimLEARN National Clinical Faculty and the National Simulation Consultant for Dentistry. I am also serving as a Simulation Fellowship Co-Director.
I highly recommend the Interprofessional Advanced Clinical Simulation Fellowship to those who are looking for personal and professional growth. The fellowship educational curriculum, the partnerships you build and the opportunities you are exposed to provide all fellows unlimited potential to learn and serve. Your work determines where this fellowship takes you.

One of the best decisions I have ever made was to move across the country to attend the interprofessional fellowship program in advanced clinical simulation at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. This course provided the foundation needed to become a better educator, improve my interprofessional communication ability and enhance my leadership skills. Amongst the skills I acquired, I learned how to develop curricula, provide expert consultation and mentoring for new faculty and become proficient in all types of simulation modalities. My ultimate career goal is to become an educator in the field of orthodontics and join the VA Healthcare System after the completion of my residency to help advance the field of orthodontics and to provide the essential care needed for our Veterans.