IPSS: The Podcast

Visualizing Teamwork: A Deep Dive into Visually Enhanced Mental Simulation (VEMS) with Dr. Victoria Brazil

In this episode, Dr Samreen Vora sits down with Dr Victoria Brazil to talk about her recently published article on Visually Enhanced Mental Simulation (VEMS) — what it is, why it matters, how it can help healthcare teams train more efficiently and effectively, and what the implications are for simulation education and patient-care systems. They explore the origins of VEMS, how it compares with traditional simulation methods, case-examples of implementation, design and delivery recommendations, and reflections on future directions for simulation practice.
About Dr Victoria Brazil:Dr Victoria Brazil is an emergency physician, medical educator and simulation pioneer based in Australia. She is a Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director of Simulation at the Gold Coast Health Service and at Bond University, where she leads the Translational Simulation Collaborative. Her work focuses on using simulation not just for individual skill-training, but to improve entire systems of care — translational simulation. Dr Brazil has published extensively in the field of simulation and high-performing healthcare teams, and she is actively engaged in simulation-education communities globally.
 
Please note that Dr Brazil is founder/co-founder of Simulation Simplified which provides simulation-based educational tools and services. Listeners should understand that while the discussion draws on her research and professional experience, any references to products or services from Simulation Simplified do not constitute an endorsement by the podcast. No commercial relationship exists other than Dr Brazil’s role with the company.
 
About the Host:Dr Samreen Vora is a physician leader, educator, and healthcare simulation expert dedicated to improving patient care and team performance through innovative education. She serves as Director of Interprofessional Education and Director of the Simulated Participant Program at Yale Center for Healthcare Simulation. Dr Vora is passionate about leveraging simulation to enhance systems-level learning, promote equity, and improve outcomes across interprofessional teams.
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Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by The Starship Foundation and IPSS Podcast Subcommittee.  This podcast was produced by Denish Kumar.
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 
Are you signed up for IPSSW 2026 in Rome?Register here: https://ipss.org/event-6324652

Jane Cichero: Sydney Children’s to Starship. An IPSS Australia New Zealand Simulation Story with Erin Carn-Bennett

Host: Erin Carn-Bennett, Simulation Nurse Educator, Douglas Starship Simulation ProgrammeGuest: Jane Cichero, Simulation Nurse Educator, Sydney Children’s Hospital
Episode OverviewIn this episode, Erin is joined by Jane Cichero, a Simulation Nurse Educator at Sydney Children’s Hospital in Australia. Jane has been shaping paediatric nursing education at Sydney Children’s Hospital Network Randwick since 1995. With over 30 years of clinical experience spanning general paediatrics, paediatric intensive care, and 16 years in emergency nursing, Jane brings a wealth of expertise to her simulation practice.
Jane currently serves as Nurse Lead for the Critical Care Simulation Team in the Emergency Department, supporting simulation services across the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network. She is deeply passionate about harnessing simulation not only as a teaching tool for clinical and teamwork skills but also as a driver for quality improvement and patient safety.
Since 2004, Jane has been an Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) instructor and, since 2020, a member of the APLS support team, helping develop faculty, strengthen learner-centred teaching, and update programs with modern educational approaches. Her qualifications include a Paediatric Certificate, Paediatric Critical Care Certificate, Graduate Diploma in Clinical Teaching, a Harvard Medical Simulation Certificate, and APLS Instructor status.
What We Talk About in This Episode
Jane’s journey into simulation and the impact on her career.
APLS, her role in faculty development, and a recent trip to Sri Lanka.
The IPSS story in New Zealand and Australia, including collaboration between Sydney Children’s Hospital, Starship Children’s Hospital, and the Douglas Starship Simulation Programme.
The creation of SimPAC, a new trans-Tasman paediatric simulation collaborative born from an idea at IPSSW 2024 Lisbon.Get Involved & Stay Connected
Are you signed up for IPSSW 2026 in Rome?Register here: https://ipss.org/event-6324652
Join us online for IPSSV 2025 — our virtual conference:Register here: https://ipss.org/event-6288720
Explore more through the IPSS Academy:https://ipss.org/event-6288720
Interested in joining the new Australia & New Zealand SimPAC Collaborative?Email: SimulationTeam.PCH@health.wa.gov.au
About the HostErin Carn-Bennett is a Simulation Nurse Educator at the Douglas Starship Simulation Programme in Auckland, New Zealand, where she designs and delivers innovative simulation-based education for paediatric teams. She is passionate about collaboration, storytelling, and building bridges between global simulation communities. She is in her second term on the board of directors for IPSS.

Simulation Through the Years with Dr. Lennox Huang

In this episode of IPSS: The Podcast, Dr. Elaine Ng interviews Dr. Lennox Huang at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Huang is a staff physician in the Pediatric Critical Care Unit and the Chief Medical Officer and Vice-President for Medical and Academic Affairs. From his unique position as a clinician, educator and healthcare administrator, he shares his experiences in simulation through the years, and suggestions for future work. He currently sits on the board of the Global Network for Simulation in Healthcare (GNSH) and provided information on the work that is being done and the upcoming summit in October 2025.
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee and The Starship Foundation.  This podcast was produced the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee.
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 

Artificial Intelligence in Simulation with Dr. Singh

Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr. Devin Singh, an emergency physician at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and a leading expert in technical artificial intelligence. Dr. Singh, one of Canada's first physicians to specialize in AI, holds a Master's in Computer Science from the University of Toronto and is a co-founder and CEO of HeroAI. This episode delves into the transformative potential of AI in healthcare, particularly in pediatrics and simulation, and explores the critical role of simulation in its responsible development and deployment.
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee and The Starship Foundation.  This podcast was produced by Denish Kumar and the IPSS Podcast Subcommittee.
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 

PediSTARS

In this episode, Dr. Elaine Ng interviews Dr. Sujatha Thyagarajan, Paediatric Consultant at Aster RV and Aster Women & Children Hospital in Bangalore, India. Dr. Sujatha is a founding member, secretary and treasurer of PediSTARS India (Pediatric Simulation and Training Research Society) which was founded in 2013. Listen in as she reflects on the early days of PediSTARS and shares her insights in making simulation-based education accessible to everyone. 
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by The Starship Foundation and IPSS Podcast Subcommittee.  
This podcast was produced by Denish Kumar.

Human Factors and Simulation Collaboration

Collaboration of Human Factors Engineers and Simulation Specialists
Overview
In this enlightening episode, we delve into the collaboration between Human Factors engineers and simulation specialists, focusing on their pivotal roles in healthcare. We explore how these disciplines intersect to improve patient safety and enhance healthcare systems.
Key Topics Discussed
Role of Simulation and Human Factors in Healthcare
How simulations are utilized to train healthcare professionals.
The impact of human factors on improving the design and functionality of medical devices and systems.
Real-World Applications and Insights
Case studies showcasing successful implementations of simulation and human factors engineering.
Insights into the benefits of integrating these practices in healthcare settings.
Engaging Leadership
Strategies for involving leadership in promoting human factors and simulation practices.
The importance of leadership support in driving systemic change.
Addressing Systems Issues in Healthcare
Identifying common systemic issues and how simulation can help address them.
The role of human factors in enhancing system reliability and efficiency.
Innovative Solutions
Examples of innovative solutions developed through collaboration between Human Factors engineers and simulation specialists.
Future trends and possibilities in healthcare improvement.
Guest Experts
Human Factors Engineers
Simulation Specialists

"Look How Far We've Come Baby!" with Dr. Vinay Nadkarni

In this episode of IPSS: The Podcast, Dr Samreen Vora from Shifting Frames Consulting and Yale Center for Healthcare Simulation interviews Dr. Vinay Nadkarni from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) about how far healthcare simulation has come over the last 20 years. Dr. Nadkarni shares his experiences in simulation through the years, his appreciation for IPSS, and a sneak peak into upcoming work with the World Health Organization (WHO). 
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on pediatric simulation across the globe. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS: The Podcast!
This podcast was made possible by The Starship Foundation and IPSS Podcast Subcommittee.  This podcast was produced by Denish Kumar.
Follow us on Instragram @ipss_global 

IPSSW 2024 Keynote Highlight - Dr. Jennifer Arnold

In this episode, hear the key takeaways from Dr. Jennifer Arnold’s keynote address at IPSSW 2024 titled “Enhancing Patient and Family Centered Care Through Simulation”.  Dr. Arnold is the Executive Program Director of the Immersive Design Simulation Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Arnold is a Neonatologist and global simulation leader. She has built multiple pediatric simulation programs and has moved the conversation forward on improving home care and skills for primary caregivers of children with medical complexities.  
This podcast was made possible by The Starship Foundation and IPSS Podcast Subcommittee.  This podcast was produced by Denish Kumar.

Cultural Sensitivity and the IPSS-INSPIRE Pediatric Simulation Fellowship

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Jabeen Fayyaz who shared her insights on cultural sensitivity in simulation. As Associate Chair of the IPSS-INSPIRE Pediatric Simulation Fellowship, she will also provide some answers to FAQs on the fellowship.
Dr. Fayyaz is a staff pediatric emergency medicine physician and medical director of the SimKids program at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. 
This podcast was made possible by The Starship Foundation and IPSS Podcast Subcommittee.  
This podcast was produced by Denish Kumar.  

Psychological Safety in Healthcare Simulation

In this episode of IPSS the Podcast, Erin Carn-Bennett from the Douglas Starship Simulation Programme in Auckland, New Zealand interviews Dr. Nichola Concannon from Sydney Children’s Hospital, Australia about the importance of psychological safety in healthcare simulation. Nichola shares her personal experiences and key learnings on how to create a safe learning environment where healthcare professionals can engage in simulation training without fear of judgment or negative consequences. Erin and Nichola also explore the SimZones framework, developed by Chris Roussin and Peter Weinstock, and how it supports psychological safety in simulation environments.
Key Topics in This Episode:
- The significance of psychological safety in healthcare simulation
- Insights and personal experiences in creating a safe learning environment
- The impact of the SimZones framework on psychological safety in simulation
- Practical approaches to fostering a supportive training atmosphere in healthcare
Resources:
- Roussin and Weinstock (2017) SimZones: An Organizational Innovation for Simulation Programs and Centers
- SimNurseNZ Podcast - Interview with Dr. Peter Weinstock
- Simulcast Podcast
- Adam Cheng: Difficult debriefing situations: A toolbox for simulation educators
- Jenny Rudolf: Debriefing with good judgment: combining rigorous feedback with genuine inquiry
- Douglas Starship Simulation Programme
- Sydney Children’s Hospital Simulation Programme
Subscribe and share to keep up with more insightful conversations on healthcare simulation and psychological safety. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help others discover this important content from IPSS the Podcast!