Barriers and Solutions to Advancing Emergency Medicine Simulation–based Research: A Call to Action

Abstract

Simulation technology has successfully improved patient safety and care quality through training and assessment of individuals, teams, and health care systems. Emergency medicine (EM) continues to be a leader and pioneer of simulation, including administration of simulation-based fellowships and training programs. However, EM simulation-based research has been limited by low rates of publication and poor methodologic rigor. The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Simulation Academy is leading efforts to improve the quality of scholarship generated by the EM simulation community and to foster successful research careers for future generations of EM simulationists. Through a needs assessment survey of our membership and a year-long consensus-based approach, we identified two main clusters of barriers to simulation-based research: lack of protected time and dedicated resources and limited training and mentorship. As a result, we generated four position statements with implications for education, training, and research in EM simulation and as a call to action for the academic EM community. Recommendations include expansion of funding opportunities for simulation-based research, creation of multi-institutional simulation collaboratives, and development of mentorship and training pathways that promote rigor in design and methodology within EM simulation scholarship.

Virtual Mentoring: Two Adaptive Models for Supporting Early‐career Simulation Investigators in the Era of Social Distancing

“…Research mentorship is crucial for success in many fields 11 . Simulation research mentorship has been recognized as a challenge especially for those without a local mentor 1 . COVID‐19 accelerated our need for a virtual solution as it has in other health care fields 12,13 .…”

“…Early‐career simulation researchers cite lack of mentorship as a common barrier to engagement in emergency medicine (EM) simulation‐based research 1 . The mentorship gap has emerged due to inconsistent availability of local simulation research expertise and ongoing challenges to collaborations across institutions.…”

“…E arly-career simulation researchers cite lack of mentorship as a common barrier to engagement in emergency medicine (EM) simulation-based research. 1 The mentorship gap has emerged due to inconsistent availability of local simulation research expertise and ongoing challenges to collaborations across institutions. Recently, lockdown requirements and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic threaten to further stagnate career trajectories of novice EM simulation researchers.…”

“…Emergency medicine simulation fellowships have expanded in recent years, 2,3 resulting in many junior faculty‐seeking guidance for a successful academic career in EM simulation. Early investigators needing mentorship cite distance from appropriate advisors as a barrier 1,4,5 . Organized networking and collaboration opportunities can bridge this gap and initiate mentorship beyond one’s institution or region.…”

“…Early investigators needing mentorship cite distance from appropriate advisors as a barrier. 1,4,5 Organized networking and collaboration opportunities can bridge this gap and initiate mentorship beyond one's institution or region.…”