Simulation-based education: How to get started

Simulation-based education (SBE) has a long history in medical education. SBE is now widely used to train individuals and teams in technical as well as social and cognitive skills. Much of the simulation literature is developed in well-resourced universities and hospitals with a dedicated simulation center, staff, consumables, and other assets. Looking at simulation from a global viewpoint, simulation centers are very hard to establish since the opportunity cost of investing in simulators, mannequins, equipment, a physical space and staff to run the center, is high. There also exists other barriers, for example time and training opportunities needed to develop expertise amongst simulation educators in the institution. Understanding that fidelity is not equal to benefit and that scenarios can be conducted in actual clinical settings, such as using in-situ simulation, rather than specialist simulation facilities, can help anesthesiologists begin to train using simulation without the need for significant financial investment. We provide practical tips for getting started with SBE and argue that the most important investment is in faculty development and engagement of the team. We also discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in necessitating the simulation world to be creative and develop new ways to train, for example through remote simulation.