Danier Ong, MD

My name is Danier Ong, and I am a current medical education and simulation fellow at the University of California, Davis. I completed my residency training at Saint Louis University, where I also served as chief resident. I previously served as Vice Chair of the Emergency Medicine Residents Association Simulation Committee in 2023-2024 and in 2024-2025. I have been a member of SAEM Simulation Academy since residency and had the privilege of receiving the SAEM25 Annual Meeting Attendance Scholarship.

The Simulation Academy has played a pivotal role in my own development through mentorship, community, and professional growth. If elected, I will work to strengthen the Simulation Academy’s position as a leading national organization for residents and fellows in simulation. My goal is to expand its outreach as the premier platform for simulationists, particularly targeting sim-interested residents and simulation fellows. I plan to lead efforts to streamline and standardize career development resources, ensuring that early-career simulationists have clear, consistent pathways and mentorship to build strong professional foundations.

To achieve this, I plan to develop a structured topic framework for monthly meetings to provide consistent, high-yield content throughout the year. I also aim to create a centralized online repository of career resources that covers key topics such as building a simulation portfolio, finding mentorship, and navigating academic or community career pathways. Finally, I aim to expand outreach to young or emerging simulation programs using social media to highlight the breadth of our community and ensure that every trainee, regardless of institutional resources, feels connected and represented within the Academy.

Through these initiatives, I hope to strengthen the Simulation Academy’s role as the driving force for excellence, innovation and inclusivity in simulation.