SimGHOSTS 2025 (#SGUSA25), also known as The Gathering Of Healthcare Simulation Technology Specialists, opened the annual meeting at the Center for Interprofessional Engagement & Simulation at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. The theme of this year’s conference is “Amplifying Simulation Innovation,” providing international attendees from around the world with the opportunity to gain practical insights to stay ahead of the healthcare simulation technology trends with more than 90 sessions on the latest innovative technologies and methodologies of medical simulation. Non-profit affiliate partner leadership from INACSL, ASPE, and SSH were in attendance to support this one-of-a-kind event. With over 430 attendees and over 90 presentations, this clinical simulation conference is once again breaking records. This HealthySimulation.com article by Carrie Gigray, MSHS, CHSE, CHSOS, NRP will highlight the SimGHOSTS 2025 conference designed to support those operating healthcare simulation programs since 2010!
Background of SimGHOSTS
The Gathering of Healthcare Simulation Technology Specialists (SimGHOSTS) was founded in 2011 by Lance Baily and is an international 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and institutions operating healthcare simulation technology and spaces through hands-on training events, online resources, and professional development. The first inaugural conference, originally named “Gathering of Technicians (GOT SIM)”, was a huge success, highlighting the much-needed specialized event.
The conference’s annual meeting became an official non-profit organization and changed the name to SimGHOSTS, or “The Gathering of Healthcare Simulation Technology Specialists.” The organization continues to expand by developing regional chapters and hosting events across the US, Australia, the UK, Asia, and South America. This international presence helped tailor support for local challenges while maintaining global standards.
SimGHOSTS events are an excellent opportunity for healthcare simulation professionals to foster meaningful collaboration and learn within the eight domains of AV/IT Technology; Serious Games, XR, AI; Moulage and Fabrication; Simulation Education, Methodology and Debriefing; Operations and Management; Clinical; Professional Development; Simulation Technology. This conference has experienced exponential growth, and this year is no different, with another record-breaking event, making the conference one of the top healthcare simulation events to attend.
View the new HealthySimulation.com Community Simulation Technology Specialist Group to discuss this topic with your Global Healthcare Simulation peers!
Pre-SimGHOSTS 2025 Events
There were a variety of pre-conference workshops available, including half and full day sessions. The basic and advanced moulage techniques course taught by David Shabolack had another sold out preconference event for the 4th year in a row. Humbled, David said “I love teaching this course for the collaborative and networking opportunities.”
In addition to the moulage courses participants experienced fun with ballistic gel. This workshop allowed individuals to learn different methods of creating simulation based tools such as moulage applications, skins, and task trainers. The Association of Standardized Patients (ASPE) and INASCL also joined the pre-conference line-up. ASPE shared coaching tips and techniques for use with Standardized Participants (SPs) regardless of previous experience, allowing participants to gain further confidence in SP education. INASCL interactive work taught the simulation operator professionals how to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) with an understanding of Healthcare Simulation Best Practices.
Lastly, Lori DeCino had the participants in tears from laughter in her “Who’s Sim Is It Anyway?” This Improv competition was a popular activity where participants were great actors, stepped out of their comfort zone, and created collaborative teamwork skills in spontaneous conversations in healthcare simulation operations.
In-Person Poster Presentations
The inaugural year for in-person digital poster presentations was an excellent opportunity for participants to engage with presenters actively. The well-attended session included a variety of display categories in simulation technology, serious games (XR, AI), operations and management, simulation education, methodology and debriefing, clinical and moulage, and fabrication innovations.
Opening Keynote Presentation by Brittany Schaffer
The official welcome and keynote presentation rallied the attendees to empower themselves to push boundaries and explore areas of simulation technology and operations throughout the conference.
SimGHOSTS Executive Director Jacqueline McBride introduced the opening keynote session by Brittany Schaffer Dean of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University. With over a decade of experience in the music business helping to revolutionize digitization at Spotify and beyond, Brittany covered the evolution of the music industry. She shared how an industry threatened by new technologies like the Spotify streaming app maintained a presence to ensure conversion, taking the company from 5% to 82% of online listening. Brittany reminded us that having confident humility to learn and improve while acknowledging you don’t know everything will provide great success in driving innovation to communities resistant to change.
Key Takeaways Include:
- Help learners fail forward in a psychologically safe environment through real-life experiences.
- Disruption of business practices, remember “Strong opinions loosely held.”
- Collaboration and connections can help you learn nuances to further progress change management in a complex system such as healthcare.
Exhibit Hall Opening
SimGHOSTS celebrates its most attended exhibit hall ever with over 2 floors of vendors showing the latest medical simulation training technologies from audiovisual systems, high-fidelity patient simulator manikins, virtual reality systems, medication administration training tools, wearable simulators, OB task trainers and other clinical task trainers, trauma simulators, A/V integrators and more. Participating vendors included:
- Laerdal
- Limbs & Things
- SimX
- Oxford Medical Simulation
- Intelligent Video Solutions
- HealthySimulation.com
- SimServeRx
- 3B Scientific
- Interact Solution
- FordAV
- Sim2Grow
- Education Management Solutions (EMS)
- Gaumard
- Avkin
- DiaMedical
- KbPort
- Nasco Healthcare
- Paradigm Medical Solutions
- Pocket Nurse
- Simulab
- SimStation
- Stealth Simulation
- UAB School of Health Professions
- VR Patients
Breakout Sessions Support Development of Simulation Operations Specialists
With 96 sessions for attendees to choose from, participants found all types of sessions from artificial intelligence to how to implement networked audio and virtual reality Interactive sessions such as the Structured Improvement Model for the Simulationist (SIMSteps), a validated tool to help the simulationist determine specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes they are lacking, and then provides a list of the activities to close those gaps. Participants were able to walk away with a shell for a professional development plan to advance their careers further.
Another session shared a framework to increase the shared mental model of healthcare simulation scenarios throughout a large hospital-based simulation education department to ensure consistent, reliable, scalable and high-quality scenarios to be deployed to healthcare professionals in multiple states.
There were several sessions highlighting the need for data-driven metrics to create a robust understanding of the importance of the healthcare simulation operations position and the value they bring to the medical simulation center. Another session shared an out-of-the-box training program to utilize existing Standardized Patients (SPs) to fill the need for open simulation operations professional role at an academic interprofessional school.
Lastly, Dr. Keilie Bryant shared the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) integration in healthcare professionals’ education and how it might impact future healthcare professionals’ ability to think critically. She called the simulation community to the importance of policy and procedures with AI competencies for our learners and to fully understand the ethical dilemmas which are bound to arise with the use of large language models. Dr. Bryant also provided a complete resource list of various AI tools.
Opening Reception Brings Simulation Technology Operations Community Together
The SimGHOSTS opening reception is a conference tradition where attendees have an interprofessional opportunity to mingle, mix, and collaborate in non-traditional spaces. This year’s event was held at Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar, where the energy was electric and the fun was nonstop! Community members joined in song together, mostly in harmony!
More About SimGHOSTS
SimGHOSTS is an international non-profit dedicated to support professionals who manage healthcare technology. This community connects you with a lively, extensive network of simulation technologists, educators, and administrators passionate to advance healthcare training through innovative simulation tools and best practices. Their mission goes beyond just equipment, emphasizing individual empowerment through hands-on skills, technical knowledge, and professional growth for successful simulation programs. SimGHOSTS provides specialized training that is often difficult to find elsewhere, to include global events, online courses, digital resources, and mentorship programs. Members also gain access to video libraries, certification assistance, and a global network of experts eager to support each other’s professional development.
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