The International Pediatric Simulation Society (IPSS) is a global, multidisciplinary community that includes pediatricians, pediatric nurses, advanced practice providers, educators, and allied health professionals from over 30 countries. Launched in 2008 in Stockholm, IPSS strives to enhance pediatric care worldwide through simulation-based education, training, and research. As part of this mission, IPSS developed the IPSS Academy, a professional development program designed to elevate simulation skills across disciplines. The IPSS Academy currently offers two healthcare simulation courses: Simulation Foundations and Simulation Design and Practice. This HealthySimulation.com article by Teresa Gore, PhD, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CHSE-A, FSSH, FAAN, will explore the IPSS Academy and courses.
IPSS Academy Simulation Foundations
The IPSS Academy Simulation Foundations is a self-paced course with over three hours of content. The course is virtual with recorded videos, documents to support the topics, and activities to apply the educational material. The content covered is:
- Pre-Brief
- Simulation Design
- Facilitation
- Scenario Development
- Debriefing Techniques
- Best Practice for Pediatric Healthcare Simulation
The course aims to build foundational knowledge, promote conceptual understanding, and foster professional development among pediatric simulationists. The objectives are to provide participants with a comprehensive overview of pediatric simulation principles, theories, and methodologies. The material is presented to allow participants to learn at their pace and convenience to facilitate comprehension and retention of the core content. The content is scaffolded to foster critical thinking and application through interactive discussions, self-reflection, and practical application. Any pediatric healthcare simulation professional can participate in the course. However, members of IPSS receive a discount.
View the HealthySimulation.com Webinar Leading the Future of Peds Simulation with IPSS: The International Pediatric Simulation Society to learn more!
IPSS Academy Simulation Design and Practice
The IPSS Academy: Simulation Design and Practice is a one-day immersive interprofessional workshop that offers a comprehensive introduction to pediatric healthcare simulation fundamentals, based on healthcare simulation standards. Completion of the IPSS Academy: Simulation Foundations course is required to participate in this course. The course will teach pediatric healthcare simulation professionals how to create a safe, nonjudgmental learning environment and allows the participants to run and debrief simulation cases. These activities are guided by international healthcare simulation professionals.
The Simulation Design and Practice course aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the principles of healthcare simulation-based education with didactic and experiential learning to engage participants to actively run and debrief simulations. Professional development is fostered through collaboration with interdisciplinary professionals and guidance from international healthcare simulation pediatric professionals.
The objectives to be achieved by the participants include:
- Recognize the conceptual framework and implement into healthcare education curricula
- Build safe learning environments
- Facilitate interprofessional healthcare simulation scenario
- Debrief learners based on a debriefing framework
- Describe the Good Judgment approach
- Describe their role as a healthcare simulation champion and a change agent at their institution
The next IPSS Academy: Simulation Design and Practice course was held on October 28, 2025, via virtual platform. Participants must complete the IPSS Academy: Simulation Foundations course prior the Simulation Design and Practice course. Novice to seasoned healthcare simulationists from interprofessional teams and clinical educators who work in pediatric healthcare simulation should enroll in the course.
IPSS Academy Advisory Committee and Faculty
- Brittany Dahlen, MSN, RN, CHSE, NPD-BC, CPN, serves as an IPSS Academy Advisory Committee Chair
- Jabeen Fayyaz, MD, FCPS, MCPS, DCH, CHSE, MHPE, PhD (Sim), serves as an IPSS Academy Advisory Committee Chair
- Adeel Khatri, MBBS, FCPS, serves as an IPSS Academy Committee Chair
- Dr. Nordia Thompson-Newell, MBBS, DM (EM), serves as an IPSS Academy Committee Chair
- Muhammed Elhady Muhammed Elgasim, MBBS, EMDM, MHPE, MAcadMEd, is an IPSS Academy Faculty Member
- Hadas Katz-Dana, MD, is an IPSS Academy Faculty Member
- Other renowned faculty members
View the new HealthySimulation.com Community Pediatric Simulation Group to discuss this topic with your Global Healthcare Simulation peers!
Why Should You Participate in the IPSS Academy
As a healthcare pediatric simulation professional, participation in professional development is imperative for early- to mid-career simulationists. IPSS Academy offers both self-paced and live, interactive educational sessions on a virtual platform to facilitate the advancement of pediatric healthcare simulation. The major benefits that can be achieved are:
- Experiential learning
- Standards-based education
- Interprofessional collaboration
- Safe, supportive learning environment’
- Develop as a simulation advocate
- Build a global network and connections
- Lay a foundation to become certified as a healthcare simulation educator
More About IPSS
The International Pediatric Simulation Society (IPSS) is a global community of pediatricians, pediatric subspecialists, pediatric nurses, educators, and other allied health professionals who are dedicated to improving the care of infants and children worldwide. They work to achieve this outcome through multi-disciplinary, simulation-based education, training, and research in pediatric simulation.
The society strives to extend the knowledge and skills that participating members have gained to the widest possible audience. Membership and involvement is extended to all healthcare professionals who care for children and infants, regardless of the geographic location where they practice. IPSS has become a global voice influencing worldwide childcare innovation, integration and motivation.
Since the first IPSS meeting in 2008, the year the society was founded by 11 multi-national pediatric medical practitioners, membership to the International Pediatric Simulation Society has grown immensely. Involving healthcare specialists from over 30 countries, the goal of the IPSS remains to promote multidisciplinary simulation in all healthcare subspecialties that treat infants and children. The vision of IPSS is that children and families have access to the best healthcare opportunities possible.
IPSS Partner Showcare
The International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research, & Education (INSPIRE) is a collaborative group of simulation experts, clinicians, educators, investigators, statisticians, human factors researchers, nurses, and other professionals who share a common goal & mission. The mission is to catalyze global simulation-based collaborative scholarship to improve pediatric health. The vision is to improve the lives of children through healthcare simulation science.
Boston Children’s Hospital Immersive Design Systems is passionate about improving the way clinicians deliver health care — and the way patients experience it. We offer a variety of services to both clinicians and families, from immersive training to pioneering surgical preparation tools, and everything in between. Their mission is to create innovative, immersive experiences that educate and empower our people to continuously improve patient care. Their vision is to embed simulation in the everyday practice of pediatric healthcare to advance safe care for all children
