Faculty Sim: Implementation of an Innovative, Simulation-based Continuing Professional Development Curriculum for...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine
• Simulation Training

Background:

• Maintaining expertise in emergency medicine (EM) is challenging, particularly in high-risk resuscitative care requiring procedural skills and leadership.
• Simulation-based medical education effectively enhances technical and nontechnical skills for crisis situations.
• Few systematic, department-wide simulation programs exist for practicing academic EM faculty continuing professional development (CPD).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a novel, simulation-based CPD program for practicing academic EM faculty.
• To address identified educational needs in crisis resource management and high-stakes procedural skills.
• To establish a sustainable model for enhancing EM faculty competence.

Main Methods:

• The program was developed using Kern's six-step model, informed by a multimodal needs assessment.
• A longitudinal curriculum was designed, tailored to available resources and institutional support.
• Monthly sessions included high-fidelity simulated resuscitations and skills labs.

Main Results:

• The CPD simulation program commenced in January 2017, with 21 sessions delivered to 161 practicing EM physicians.
• Needs assessment identified requirements for crisis resource management and frequent practice of critical care procedures like surgical airways.
• Faculty feedback on the simulation sessions has been positive.

Conclusions:

• A successful monthly simulation-based CPD curriculum was implemented, addressing the educational needs of EM physicians.
• Future evaluations will link the program to clinical outcomes and explore expansion to other institutions.
• This program provides a replicable model for enhancing EM faculty skills through simulation.