Join CMS at IMSH! Our Senior Directors, Principal Faculty and Adjunct Faculty are participating in a huge number of workshops this year, including pre-conference workshop intensives. Be aware that these workshops tend to fill up early, so register via the IMSH 2026 app as soon as you can!
For more information and any questions, join us at Booth #445 on the trade floor, or email info@harvardmedsim.org.
—
New This Year: CMS Live Broadcast Events!
Dare to Be Ready “Live”: Sunday 1/11 | 1:00-1:30, CMS Trade Booth #445, IMSH Exhibit Hall
Chris Roussin reacts to Tania Katan / Chad Epps Lecture
Curious Now “Live”: Monday 1/12, 12:45-1:15, CMS Trade Booth #445, IMSH Exhibit Hall
Jenny Rudolph reacts to Kevin Brown / Lou Oberndorf Lecture
CMS Book Club “Live”: Tuesday, 1/13, 12:45-1:30, CMS Trade Booth #445, IMSH Exhibit Hall
Grace Ng and Roxane Gardner react to Shawn Kanungo / Michael S. Gordon Lecture
—
Saturday, January 10, 2026 – Paid Preconference Sessions
Generative Artificial Intelligence in Action: Designing Real-Time, Emotionally Intelligent Healthcare Simulations with AI-Driven Avatars
Price: $299.00 | To add a paid session to your itinerary, log in to conference registration at https://imsh2026.org/registration
Location: 303A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Saturday, January 10, 2026
12:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Session Type: Immersive (Pre-conference) Course (4 hours)
This immersive course empowers healthcare educators to integrate generative AI into emotionally intelligent simulation experiences. Participants will design and test real-time clinical scenarios with conversational avatars capable of adaptive coaching, empathy modulation, and bias mitigation. The session combines live demonstrations, micro-design labs, avatar-led simulations, and structured debriefs. Learners gain access to a complete toolkit including templates, behavioral rubrics, and scenario creation guides. Faculty guide participants through a deeply interactive experience designed for immediate application across simulation centers, medical schools, and CME/CPD programs.
Roxane Gardner, Jenny Rudolph, Fernando Salvetti, Barbara Bertagni
Monday, January 12, 2026
Generative AI in Action: Creating Interactive, Real-Time Healthcare Simulations with AI-Driven Avatars
Location: 225B, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
This hands-on, 60-minute workshop explores how generative artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to design and deliver interactive, emotionally intelligent, and learner-centered healthcare simulation experiences. Participants will work directly with AI-powered avatars capable of engaging in realistic clinical conversations, providing adaptive feedback, and guiding team-based decision-making. The session demonstrates how generative AI can address training gaps in clinical communication, bias awareness, and decision-making under pressure—without the need for complex programming or technical infrastructure. Participants will co-design, test, and analyze interactive learning scenarios powered by AI, grounded in established simulation frameworks and real-world clinical challenges.
Fernando Salvetti, Barbara Bertagni, Roxane Gardner
—
Am I as Good as AI in Recognizing Emotions in Debriefing?
Location: 302A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
This interactive workshop invites attendees to assess their own perceptions of emotions as compared to artificial intelligence (AI) and facial emotion recognition in a live debriefing. Participants will independently assess the debriefee’s emotions using their personal observations while AI simultaneously analyzes emotional expressions. After the assessment, faculty with guide attendees in comparing their results with AI-generated emotional profile. Guided discussion will focus on alignment and discrepancies, the fallibility of human interpretation, and how AI can assist and wrongly influence. The session concludes with a reflection on applications in healthcare simulation debriefings.
Janice Palaganas, Alex Morton, Lulu Sherif Mahmood, Alexandra Lucas, Traci Grove, Cathleen Deckers, Bobbie Ann White, Suzan Kardong-Edgren
—
Let’s Make a Sim! 8 Easy Steps to Create a Learning Objective Focused Simulation
Location: 304A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
Do you need to create a simulation for your department? We will take you through 8 easy steps to create a learning objective focused simulation. This course will review prioritization of learning objectives, how to select the “right” kind of simulation, tips for writing out the clinical scenario, and advice for “piloting” the simulation scenario.
Katherine Chan, Bijan Safaee Fakhr, Britlyn Orgill
—
CHSE-A: Are You Ready to Apply?
Location: 006B, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
Are you preparing for the CHSE-A? This workshop will focus on the CHSE-A standards and provide insights in completing the application portfolio. This workshop provides a hands-on experience for attendees focusing on the portfolio components. Facilitators will provide feedback and suggestions on how to improve the application. Key concepts such as leadership, impact, and influence will be discussed.
Linda Wilson, Penni Watts, Alaina Herrington, Pooja Nawathe, Tonya Schneidereith, Elizabeth Wells-Beede, Jason Craig
—
How Does AI Understand Us? Prompt Design for Healthcare Simulation
Location: 225D, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
This hands-on workshop introduces healthcare educators to the art of prompt design, a crucial skill for optimizing outcomes using generative AI, specifically GPT models, in healthcare simulation. Serving as a primer on this topic, the workshop provides participants with foundational knowledge and practical skills to effectively navigate the nuances of prompt engineering to streamline tasks such as scenario writing and standardized patient (SP) scriptwriting. Following its success at IMSH 2025 and the continued demand for this topic, it’s crucial to deliver this workshop again at IMSH 2026.
Sara Maaz, Janice Palaganas, Amar Patel, Cynthia Mosher, Maria Bajwa, Sadek Obeidat
—
SSH Fellows Academy Presents: Simulation Fellow Shark Tank: Real Problems, Real Pitches, Real Solutions
Location: Lila Cockrell Theater, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Session Type: Panel Presentation (60 minutes)
Welcome to a high-energy, fast-paced session where real workplace challenges meet creative solutions! Inspired by the Shark Tank model, five simulation professionals will each pitch a current problem from their workplace, ranging from productivity/educational issues to communication breakdowns, or cultural hurdles. Instead of pitching business ideas, they’ll pitch problems—looking for fresh insight, feedback, or collaboration. A panel of 4-5 simulation “Sharks”(SSH fellows) will respond to each pitch, ask clarifying questions, and provide constructive feedback. Ultimately an individual “shark” will agree to pair up with the professional to build a plan and solution set to help solve the problem.
Michael Spooner, Melissa Lowther, Muhammad Waseem, Sean Cavanaugh, Ivette Motola, Janice Palaganas, Joseph Lopreiato
—
The Trial of AI: The People vs. Artificial Intelligence
Location: 304A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
Step into a dynamic courtroom debate where AI stands trial! Explore provocative questions about AI’s role in healthcare simulation—can it assess learners, co-lead debriefings, or teach empathy? Examine issues of trust, bias, and equity as we challenge the boundaries between innovation and ethics in clinical education. Your verdict could shape the future.
Amar Patel, Janice Palaganas, Alex Morton, Isabel Gross, Maria Bajwa
—
Teaching Unbound: Lessons in Practice, Teamwork, and Growth from Mr. Miyagi and Coach Lasso
Location: Lila Cockrell Theater, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Session Type: Mainstage Presentation (60 minutes)
In simulation-based education, the goal is not mere perfection, but transformation. Drawing inspiration from two iconic mentors—Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid and Coach Ted Lasso from Ted Lasso—this engaging session explores how simulation educators can foster psychological safety, build readiness through repetition, and reframe mistakes as growth opportunities. Through storytelling, film clips, and practical strategies, participants will learn to create spaces that transcend skill-building and shape professional identity. Combining Miyagi’s wisdom with Lasso’s heart-forward coaching philosophy, attendees will leave empowered to guide learners in discovering who they are and believing in what they are capable of achieving.
Tonya Schneidereith, Kristen Brown
—
Psychological Safety First Aid: How to Recover When a Meeting, Debriefing, or Feedback Conversation Goes Sideways
Location: 225B, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
You know that sinking feeling—that moment you realize you’ve said something that landed wrong. Or, maybe you’re watching a conversational crash in real time, stuck in the passenger seat as someone barrels past the guardrails of psychological safety. In this interactive workshop, participants will identify, reflect on, and practice repairing those ruptures during meetings, debriefings, or feedback conversations. Working in small groups, they’ll 1) identify common threats to psychological safety, 2) practice internal emotional regulation skills, and 3) try out conversational strategies that re-establish trust—balancing control and vulnerability to get learning and relationships back on track.
Jenny Rudolph, Amy Daniels, Ivette Motola, Britlyn Orgill, Grace Ng
—
Readiness Planning Workshop: Bridging the Gap between Simulation and Frontline Healthcare
Location: 304A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
In this fun and dynamic workshop we will introduce and illustrate the powerful concept of Readiness Planning–then encourage and coach participants to develop their own practical cases, which will move their practice of partnering with the clinical frontline to the next level. The 2026 workshop will feature new of-the-moment cases and an experienced faculty straight from the frontlines!
Christopher Roussin, Jenny Rudolph, Keith Jones, Grace Ng, Roxane Gardner, Lia Cruz
—
I’m New to Reviewing a Simulation Article for a Journal: A How-To Guide
Location: 302A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
In this session, we will present a guide that was developed by expert healthcare simulation researchers and reviewers, as well as PhD students after critically reviewing 20 simulation articles. This guide is designed to support new reviewers of healthcare simulation journal submissions, as well as a map for new authors. It integrates existing reporting guidelines, peer reviewed best practices, and unique aspects of healthcare simulation to enhance consistency, transparency, and constructive feedback.
Janice Palaganas, Maria Bajwa, Katie Parrish, Asma Arabi, Elizabeth Guerdan
—
Servant Leadership with a Simulation Mindset: How Mentoring, Executive Coaching, and Simulation Principles Build a Foundation for New and Current Leaders
Location: 006A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Monday, January 12, 2026
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
The purpose of this course is to equip new and current simulation leaders with transformative insights from mentoring, servant leadership, and core simulation principles that elevate leadership practices. Drawing from foundational simulation pedagogical tenets and core servant leadership principles, this session bridges the gap between simulation educator mindset and leadership impact.
Kyle Johnson, Suzan Kardong-Edgren
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Build Your Own GPT Model: From Concept to Deployment
Location: 225A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
Unlock the power of GPT models in this hands-on session designed for innovators and educators. You’ll explore three practical paths to building your own GPT: prompt engineering, fine-tuning with tools like OpenAI, CoPilot, and HuggingFace, and why training a model from scratch is rarely necessary. Through live demos and real-world use cases, you’ll learn how to customize GPTs for education, simulation, and clinical decision support. Leave with the tools, terminology, and confidence to start building your AI-powered solutions. No deep coding or machine learning experience required—just curiosity and a vision for what’s possible with generative AI.
Amar Patel, Maria Bajwa, Sara Maaz, Janice Palaganas, Cynthia Mosher
—
Should I Drop a Bomb in the Debriefing or Let It Go Since It Wasn’t Part of the Objectives? A Debate on Debriefing Disclosures
Location: 209, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Session Type: Panel Presentation (60 minutes)
Should educators disclose information to learners that was not discovered during simulation, especially when such information may be upsetting and is not apriority learning objective? This interactive debate explores the ethical, educational, and psychological considerations of post-simulation debriefing disclosures.
Janice Palaganas, Lulu Sherif Mahmood, Alex Morton, Alexandra Lucas, Traci Grove, Bobbie Ann White, Federico Puerta Martinez
—
Climbing Together: Experiential Learning on Simulated Mt. Everest for Ad Hoc Teamwork and Communication
Location: 006A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
Step out of the clinical setting and into a high-stakes Mount Everest expedition simulation. In this immersive simulation workshop, we strip away clinical roles, to highlight team dynamics, cognitive bias, and crisis management. By navigating unpredictable challenges in a non-clinical context, attendees gain fresh insights into how teamwork functions under stress and how those lessons translate back into healthcare environments. This workshop is ideal for educators teaching interprofessional communication, leadership, and crisis response.
Suzan Kardong-Edgren, Michelle Aebersold, Scott Crawford, Samantha Smeltzer, William Belk, Bruce Williams, Matthew Charnetski
—
From Avoidance to Action: Phased Separation of Emotions and Practice in Simulation (PSEPS) for Emotionally Activating Scenarios
Location: 006C, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
This session introduces the Phased Separation of Emotions and Practice in Simulation (PSEPS) framework—an innovative method to help educators facilitate emotionally distressing simulation scenarios (e.g., pregnancy loss or death notification) while preserving learner psychological safety. Participants will gain practical tools to implement emotionally activating simulations in a learner-centered and psychologically supportive way, expanding their ability to address difficult but necessary topics in simulation-based education.
Alexander Croft, Ernesto Romo, Nicole Novotny, Jenny Rudolph, Sal Phadnis
—
How to Make My First Healthcare Simulation Education Grant Proposal Compelling?
Location: 304A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
There is limited grant funding to support simulation-based health professions education research [1-4]. Moreover, funding agencies only support methodologically sound and rigorous research that shows the impact on clinical outcomes and return on investment, thus making the grant proposals very competitive.[5] This workshop focuses on the common pitfalls and reasons for the rejection of a proposal and provides tips for making a grant proposal compelling.
Asit Misra, Ivette Motola, Jeffrey Groom, Vivian Obeso, Samia Barbar, Ross Scalese
—
From Reactive to Resilient: Applying Safety II and Human Preparedness in Complex Systems
Location: 304B, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
This highly interactive workshop empowers healthcare professionals to shift from reactive to resilient systems by applying the principles of Safety II and human preparedness. Participants will explore how complexity, adaptability, and system interdependence influence outcomes and will learn to design simulation scenariosthat highlight resilient behaviors and successful outcomes, rather than from errors. Through reflective discussion, collaborative scenario-building, and a focus on real-world application, attendees will walk away with tools to foster team adaptability, psychological safety, and resilient capacity. This session aligns with IMSH 2026’s Unbound theme by reimagining patient safety beyond limitations, protocols, and traditional root-cause thinking.
Dee Wu, Cheryl Camacho, Maritza Plaza, Lia Cruz, Paul Leonard, Kathee Laffoon, Mary Patterson
—
Ready or Not: Promise and Pitfalls of Developing AI-Powered Tools for Communication Skills Training and Assessment
Location: 211, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Session Type: Panel Presentation (60 minutes)
This panel will discuss the promise and pitfalls of AI-powered communication-skills training for healthcare learners and providers. Panelists from UCLA, the Center for Medical Simulation, and a Belmont University /University of Michigan collaboration will describe their experiences developing virtual simulated patients, learners, and raters, including automated AI feedback. Discussion topics will include potential benefits such as scalability, accessibility, shortened scenario design time, and tailored learning, alongside challenges, including hallucination / confabulation, inconsistent feedback, bias, privacy requirements, regulatory uncertainty, and cost. Strategies to improve authenticity, reliability, and educational value of large language model tools in simulation will be examined.
Dan Weisman, Maria Rudolph, Yue-Ming Huang, Jenny Rudolph, Daniel Salcedo, Michelle Aebersold, Deborah Lee
—
Completed Studies Orals – Curriculum Design & Instructional Innovation
Location: 302C, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Session Type: Panel Presentation (60 minutes)
10-minute formal presentations followed by a brief question & answer portion. You must stay for all presentations to claim IPCE credit for this session. All presenters will have their abstract or manuscript published following IMSH 2026.
– Branching Simulation Powered by Mathematical Error Stratification: A New Model for Case Scenario Design – 84275
– Comparing AI Voice Commands and VR Controllers in Advanced Life Support Training: Effects on Performance, Presence, and Confidence – 56221
– Development and Implementation of Essential Stroke Life Support: An Online Virtual Simulation Course – 38367
– Distributed Simulation-Based Training for Endotracheal Intubation Skills with Varying Levels of
– Difficulty in Medical Students: Development and Outcomes of a Structured Curriculum – 78106
– Obstetric Life Support Simulation Training in Resource-Limited Settings: Identifying Barriers and Facilitators to Equitable Implementation – 34027
– SimBegin: Student facilitator training effectively develops debriefing competencies – 13936
Ivette Motola
—
Debriefing Doesn’t Always Work! Know when to teach, coach, or debrief by implementing “With Good Judgment” across the SimZones
Location: 225B, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
This workshop helps educators match facilitation style (teaching, coaching, or debriefing) with learner needs and learning context. We map aspects of the “with good judgment” approach across the SimZones. For each SimZone or learning context, the workshop addresses the expected: 1) learning outcomes, 2) learning activities, 3) The instructional strategies and, 4) effects on the teacher-learner relationship.
Jenny Rudolph, Ivette Motola, Grace Ng, Keith Jones, Christopher Roussin, Kat Avichouser, Lia Cruz
—
Effective Use of Extended Reality in Healthcare Simulation: A Hands-On Workshop for Designing Immersive Learning with Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality
Location: 225A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
The workshop explores the use of extended reality (XR)—virtual, augmented, and mixed reality—for healthcare simulation in scalable, glasses-free(headset-optional) formats. Participants will interact with AI-driven avatars in realistic, high-stakes scenarios including blood administration, Level 1 Rapid Infuser use, sickle cell care, and crisis communication. The session includes brief orientation, live demonstrations, collaborative design, and testing of participant-created XR scenarios. Grounded in narrative design and clinical frameworks, this workshop equips educators and simulationists to implement immersive, emotionally intelligent learning experiences that enhance decision-making, communication, and bias-awareness in diverse healthcare training environments.
Alexander Croft, Fernando Salvetti, Barbara Bertagni, Roxane Gardner, Jenny Rudolph
—
Future-Proofing Faculty: Simulation, Technology, and Educator Readiness
Location: 008A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Session Type: Panel Presentation (60 minutes)
This panel discussion explores strategic considerations in designing evidence-based and innovative faculty development programs in health professions simulation education. Expert leaders and researchers in faculty development, emerging simulation technologies, such as AI and virtual reality, and formal academic simulation education, will address current gaps, challenges, research and best practices for equipping new educators. Panelists will provide actionable insights on creating structured, competency-based training aligned with evolving educational standards, integrating technology effectively, leveraging research evidence, and developing scalable, sustainable support systems. Participants will leave with strategies to enhance educator readiness for simulation education within rapidly changing educational environments.
Raquel Bertiz, Kellie Bryant, Jasline Moreno, Suzan Kardong-Edgren
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Engaging Learners in Distance Debriefing: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Location: 304A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Wednesday, January 14, 2026
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
Session Type: Hands-on Workshop (60 minutes)
Participants will learn the factors that influence the engagement of learners in distance debriefing. They will recognize behaviors that indicate engagement and disengagement and discuss the challenges and potential solutions for effective facilitation of engagement in the online setting. They will be able to transfer this learning to their own online distance debriefing planning and facilitation.
Cynthia Mosher, Alex Morton, Janice Palaganas
—
Breaking Boundaries in Simulation: Re-envisioning the NCSBN Study Through Dose, Demand, and Duration (3D)
Location: 007A, San Antonio Convention Center
When: Wednesday, January 14, 2026
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Session Type: Panel Presentation (60 minutes)
The NCSBN National Simulation Study validated the effectiveness of simulation, demonstrating that some clinical hours can be replaced with high-quality simulation without compromising learning outcomes. However, critical questions remain: What number of daily simulations strikes the right balance between achieving learning outcomes and minimizing cognitive overload? What pacing optimizes simulation integration across a curriculum? How can complexity be scaffolded to avoid cognitive overload while maximizing resource utilization? In this 60-minute panel, attendees will explore the Dose, Demand, and Duration (3D) approach to re-envisioning integration and brainstorm strategies to drive better learning outcomes and shape the future of simulation-based education.
Tonya Schneidereith, Kristen Brown, Crystel Farina, Penni Watts
