About the Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center

With a distinctive and integrated approach to experiential, transformational education, the Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center (ISIC) collaborates with faculty to develop students into critically thinking professionals who thrive in a rapidly-changing world.

You will be

• Immersed in team-based simulations that model the communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving habits that are inherent in professional practice.
• Utilizing thoughtfully chosen and expertly maintained technologies that enhance transformative learning.
• Provided with the utmost awareness of confidentiality, interprofessional educational theory, and mutual professional respect.
• Challenged to focus on improvement and collaboration, master professional skills, and prepare for further advanced study/life-long learning and successful careers by bringing meaningful contributions to the global community.

Guided by skilled professional staff and instructors, students participate in simulations specifically designed to enhance the development of clinical judgment and critical thinking abilities. Rather than just hearing and reading about difficult or unusual patient cases, students experience them by treating high fidelity patient simulators, patient actors, or virtual patients in scenarios that mimic real-life clinical practice.

Debriefings with other students and faculty after each simulation experience provide the opportunity to reflect on the challenges students encountered. During the debriefing process, students may view digital recordings of the simulations to assess team and individual performance. These experiences help students develop superior clinical competence and confidence.

The Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center at UNE is unique among simulator training programs in Northern New England due to its focus on interprofessional training, which provides an effective tool for not only building clinical skills but for developing teamwork, fostering communication and high standards of safe patient care.

Mission

Through a distinctive and integrated approach to experiential and transformational education, the Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center collaborates with faculty and academic programs to develop critically thinking health professionals. ISIC supports both immersive simulation-based learning and standardized clinical performance assessment through a range of modalities, including high- and low-fidelity simulation and human simulation using Standardized Patient methodology. Together, these efforts prepare learners to thrive in a rapidly changing healthcare environment while ensuring equitable, consistent, and defensible assessment of clinical competence.

Vision

The Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center (ISIC) will be a premier simulation and clinical performance program in the United States, providing a welcoming and engaging learning and assessment environment where all students and faculty are supported in their educational and professional development by:

• Fostering best practices in simulation-based education and clinical performance assessment.
• Providing team-based, interprofessional simulation and assessment experiences that model the communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving behaviors inherent in professional practice.
• Offering access to state-of-the-art, expertly maintained technologies and human simulation resources, including Standardized Patient methodology, that enhance transformative learning and objective clinical assessment.
• Demonstrating a commitment to confidentiality, standardization, equity, and mutual respect across all educational and assessment activities.

In this way, ISIC serves as an integrated center that challenges learners to engage in continuous improvement and collaboration; master professional and clinical competencies; and reflect on personal and professional development for successful careers in contemporary and future practice settings.