This conference will combine the best of both academic worlds: education and research. During the last 30 years of medical education, there have been many fads and a few true break-throughs, but nothing has impacted our ability to clearly define and assess competence in medical training like high-fidelity simulation. It represents the defining integrative teaching tool of this decade. Millions of dollars and thousands of hours are being spent in the realm, some of it fruitful and other monies potentially wasted…this conference will help define the direction your department or institution should take in regard to simulation, and what the future may hold for this important and effective teaching tool.
The conference is sponsored by Academic Emergency Medicine, the journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). It is designed to apply broadly across specialties and disciplines and will be complimented by a November 2008 journal proceedings issue on the topic. The conference will include an expert panel of cognitive scientists and educators as well as special remarks from the President and CEO of the American Board of Medical Specialties. To gauge the importance and potential impact of this conference, one need only look at the range of funding sources supporting it. Over 30 organizations including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation, the AAMC MedEdPORTAL, and the Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions have contributed funds. The Society for Simulation in Healthcare, ACEP, and AAEM have endorsed this program.
In preparation for the conference, nearly 40 original manuscripts were submitted and reviewed. This represents a substantial level of interest by any standard.
Importantly, a Bill was recently introduced in Congress that proposes enhanced federal commitments to simulation-based training. The timing of this National Consensus Conference represents a unique opportunity to help identify priority funding areas. Certainly, more information on this Bill and the national interest raised will be discussed at the sessions. For further information, please go to the SAEM website (www.saem.org) and scroll down to the “Science of Simulation in Healthcare” information and brochure. You can register for this important conference directly from the site (registration is limited!).
Our sincere thanks and compliments to James A. Gordon, MD, MPA John A. Vozenilek, MD (conference co-chairs) and the wonderful team who have assembled a world-class group of guest speakers for your information and enjoyment. Come to Washington, DC, Wednesday May 28th, a day before the SAEM Meeting, and participate in defining a national agenda for simulation research in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education. This opportunity will not come around for Emergency Medicine again in the near future. Please join us.