WCM-Q hosts fully immersive simulation educator course

Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) recently held the third iteration of its unique faculty development course, offering clinicians and educators a valuable opportunity to master the effective use of simulation-based education.

Titled “Simulation Educator Course: Designing and Debriefing Effective Simulations,” the two-day immersive workshop aimed to equip participants with the skills needed to describe the theoretical foundations of healthcare simulation, design effective simulation scenarios, and apply formal and informal debriefing techniques that engage learners, promote reflection, and mitigate frustration.

Participants delved into the theoretical foundations of simulation-based learning, including Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, and designed scenarios aligned with Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice. The course emphasized a three-step approach: pre-brief, simulation, and debrief, ensuring psychological safety throughout the process so learners could identify and address gaps in their knowledge and practice. Interactive debriefing and peer feedback sessions enabled participants to reflect on, analyze, and understand the risks and benefits of observed behaviors.

The workshop was aimed at physicians, nurses, pharmacists, allied health professionals, healthcare simulation professionals, and educators.

Course speakers included Dr. Stella Major, an associate professor of family medicine in clinical medicine and director of the Clinical Skills and Simulation Lab (CSSL) at WCM-Q; Dr. Michelle Brown, an associate professor in the Department of Health Services Administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and founding program director of the healthcare simulation master’s degree; Rudy Bahri, the manager of CSSL at WCM-Q; and Arlene Masaba, a lecturer in the Nursing and Midwifery Department, College of Health Sciences, University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST).

Dr. Major emphasized the importance of the course, saying: “Simulation-based learning is a crucial educational methodology in health education. It equips healthcare educators with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver effective simulations. This workshop offers clinicians and educators a truly unique and immersive learning experience, enabling them to immediately apply these techniques in their practice. We are delighted with the overwhelmingly positive feedback from this year’s participants and look forward to hosting future sessions.”

Professor of nursing Dr. Behi Nikaiin of Qatar University said: “I have attended a few simulation courses, and this one, which was in fact over a weekend, was the best. It was very engaging, with lots of practices and hands-on activities. As someone with prior experience in simulation, I was challenged in a positive, non-threatening way, and I learnt a lot.”

Dr. Maham Hadi, lecturer in family medicine at Qatar University, said: “This course was incredibly useful for our day-to-day activities as educators in clinical education. We have learnt about designing, implementing and debriefing techniques which will be incredibly valuable for our staff and faculty.”

Created in 2022 and offered annually as part of WCM-Q’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program, the course has been delivered to approximately 100 clinicians and educators in Qatar and the MENA region. It is accredited locally by the Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Healthcare Professions – Accreditation Section and internationally by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).