Lead Authors: Christine S. Park, Lou Clark, Grace Gephardt, Jamie M Robertson, Jane Miller, etc.
Submitted by: Janice Radway, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

A pandemic has sent the world into chaos. It has not only upended our lives; hundreds of thousands of lives have already been tragically lost. The global crisis has been disruptive, even a threat, to healthcare simulation, affecting all aspects of operations from education to employment. While simulationists around the world have responded to this crisis, it has also provided a stimulus for the continued evolution of simulation. We have crafted a manifesto for action, incorporating a more comprehensive understanding of healthcare simulation, beyond tool, technique or experience, to understanding it now as a professional practice. Healthcare simulation as a practice forms the foundation for the three tenets comprising the manifesto: safety, advocacy and leadership. Using these three tenets, we can powerfully shape the resilience of healthcare simulation practice for now and for the future. Our call to action for all simulationists is to adopt a commitment to comprehensive safety, to advocate collaboratively and to lead ethically.

By Dan Brown, Emory University

Social Justice was a common theme throughout ASPE’s virtual conference, and Prof. John Chenault set the tone in his opening plenary, with a moving introduction by University of Louisville colleague Carrie Bohnert. In his presentation, Medicine and the Black Body, Chenault began by clarifying the definition of race as an artificial societal construct, and presented the pseudoscience that perpetuated racism, as well as the legal precedents introduced that created a divide and a definition for what level of mixed ancestry legally qualified a person as a “Negro.” He then walked the attendees through the grim history of medicine and its treatment of African slaves and their descendants: many medical advances came at the expense of Black bodies, including unethical cadaver sourcing, experimental surgeries and studies, drug trials, and more. He then connected this painful history to present day health disparities.

By Kerensa Peterson

Every year, our membership recognizes two ASPE members for outstanding achievement within our organization. The first Outstanding Educator of the Year Award was given in 1998. Each year since that time, an SP Educator who has “been involved in human simulation education for more than seven years, [has] made significant contributions to the community, and [is] recognized as a leader within their own institution, the community, and in national and international organizations” has received the award.  This year the award was given to Dr. Tamara L. Owens, Founding Director of the Simulation & Clinical Skills Center at Howard University Health Sciences.

Submitted By: Robin Lewis-Bedz

Full Center Name: Clinical Skills Training & Simulation Center

Submitted By: Carrie A. Bohnert

Center Location: Louisville, KY

By: Johnnie Anderson
Submitted by: Kerensa Peterson, NBOME

Q: How has your experience as an SP changed since the pandemic? I miss seeing, sharing ideas and just talking with fellow SPs and working face-to-face with the SP educators, medical students and professionals.
Q: Have you had to look for other work? If so, what are you doing? I’m so grateful for what’s happening now.  Prior to the pandemic, I was teaching dance fitness in addition to SP work. At the inception of the Stay-at-Home orders and social distancing requirements, I put the creative juices to work after determining what brings me pleasure and fulfillment. Facilitating dance fitness was near the top of the list. Although, I was teaching in-person prior to and at the time the pandemic hit, I researched and decided to offer online classes. I’m so grateful for facilitating 3 classes a week plus occasional customized group classes via Zoom! Participation has been great. There’s a fee for each class, but I also offer “or pay what you can if you can” option. I want anyone who’d like to engage in a dynamic fitness program that’s truly good for the mind, body and spirit to join in.

Lead Author: Kathleen Hanley
Submitted by: Kerensa Peterson, NBOME

A group of medical educators look for patterns in the development of communication skills in a cohort of medical students. The reported results show an overall increase in communication skills but leave a question for further research about whether or not an Introductory Clinical Experience at the beginning of medical school is a good predictor of performance on future communication skills.

By: Rachel Withers
Submitted by: Janice Radway, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

The past few months have seen a great rush to get activities online, especially in the fields of education and medicine. At the intersection of these two fields lies a conundrum: How are trainee doctors supposed to practice examining patients when they can’t be in the same room as them? Since March, the Association of American Medical Colleges’ guidance has recommended medical students not be involved in any direct patient care in COVID-affected areas. But while medical students may not be essential, human interaction is essential to medical training. Enter: remote SPs.

Lead Author: Pierre A. Geoffroy
Submitted by: Kerensa Peterson, NBOME Chicago

A group of researchers at Paris Diderot University conducted a randomized controlled study. They compared the effectiveness of teaching communication skills via standardized patients versus a conventional lecture format. The Standardized Patients helped the medical student perform 5 particular communication skills better than the lecture counterpart.

Lead Author: Kelly V. Johnson, EdD, RN
Submitted by: Marsha Harman, Rush University

Utilizing standardized patients (SPs) as a strategy to potentially improve beginning level nursing students’ confidence, satisfaction, and communication after simulated clinical cases is an innovative approach in nursing education. To examine how an SP encounter affects these three things, first semester undergraduate nursing students completed a simulation either an SP or high-fidelity manikin. Students who completed the simulation with an SP reported greater satisfaction and improved communication.

By: C. Roth, K. Eldin, V. Padmanabhan, E. Friedman
Submitted by Kathy Herzberger, Loma Linda School of Medicine

Medical Teacher has articles entitled “Twelve …” that I always find useful. This particular one provides twelve easy steps to help develop and introduce emotional intelligence into our curriculum. Developing emotional intelligence is vital to enhance patient centered care, clinical outcomes, patient safety, as well as team building.

By: Prateek Sharma
Submitted by: Janice Radway, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

With the recent outbreak of COVID-19, we’ve seen a drastic shift towards a desire to implement telemedicine across clinical practices. However, with growing case rates of COVID-19 among health care workers on the frontline, it seems too late.

Submitted by: Kerensa Peterson, NBOME

We, as SP Administrative Directors and Educators, have been so busy.  We’re engaged in trying to keep our programs running, reshaping the educational and technical frameworks of what we do and how we do it, and navigating social injustices and political pressures throughout the pandemic.  It’s been difficult to find moments to just pause and breathe.  As our field began taking that first collective breath, I found I was missing the voice of our SPs who have been absent from our daily work.  No longer passing them in our centers and chatting with them regularly, I longed to hear from them.

Author: Rashmi A. Kusurkar
Submitted by: Kathy Herzberger, Loma Linda University

The author has provided an interesting discussion that describes autonomous motivation and its necessity in the practice of medical education. Autonomous motivation is “motivation that arises out of genuine interest or personal endorsement or valuing of an activity”. This type of personal motivation creates life-long learners, which is a vital goal in medical education.

By: Lou Clark, Gayle Gliva-McConvey and Cate Nicholas
Submitted by: Janice Radway, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

SP Educators Gayle Gliva-McConvey, Cate Nicholas and Lou Clark wrote and edited Implementing Best Practices of Standardized Patient Methodology, part of Springer's Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation Series, and now available for preorder with a release date of September 23, 2020. The book was written by SP Educators for SP Educators framed with the ASPE Standards of Best Practices. Fueled by Gliva-McConey's vision and spirit of collaboration, they are joined by 30 U.S. and international chapter authors along with numerous interviews and samples throughout from experts globally in our community of practice.

Lead Author: Melodee Harris, PhD, APRN, FAAN
Submitted by: Marsha Harman, Rush University

Standardized patient (SP) simulation is used to teach geropsychiatry. This project tested feasibility and effectiveness of video-enabled SP simulation to teach interprofessional (IP) late-life depression screening. The study focuses on the potential advantages of remote learning for students in rural areas, including savings on travel and faculty time. (In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, an additional advantage is the ability to continue simulation-based learning while maintaining social distancing.)

By: Sari Harrar
Submitted by: Michael Maury, UC-San Diego

Feeling good may be the last thing on your mind as the coronavirus pandemic grinds into its sixth month in America. As we struggle to revive after arguably one of the world’s worst health and economic calamities, is even talking about happiness self-absorbed and inappropriate?

By: Lisa Rosenbaum, M.D.
Submitted by Kathy Herzberger, Loma Linda School of Medicine

I have read so many stories of individuals responding to the call-in places hit hard by COVID. I think how brave and incredible they are for setting aside their lives and jumping into the fray. As a nurse, I often feel I am not doing “enough”. I found this article hit home and addressed some of the emotions I have been struggling with during these unprecedented times.

By: Sydney Page
Submitted by: Kerensa Peterson, NBOME

“Malone Mukwende, a 20-year-old medical student, found himself repeatedly asking the same question: ‘But what will it look like on darker skin?’

Lead author: Wendi F. Cross
Submitted by: Todd Lash, The Ohio State University

Background: Suicide is a national public health crisis and a critical patient safety issue. It is the 10th leading cause of death overall and the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults (15–34 years old). Research shows 80% of youth who died by suicide saw their primary care provider within the year of their death. It is imperative that primary care providers develop the knowledge and skills to talk with patients about distress and suicidal thoughts, and to assess and respond in the context of the ongoing patient - primary care provider relationship.