The Society for Simulation in Healthcare > About SSH > News > Newsletter Archives > President-2015-12 > Jan 2016-3
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SESAM 2015 UPDATE

This year's SESAM focus was on advances and innovations in simulation for assessment and training identifying opportunities for multi-center and multidisciplinary training and collaboration to gain insights on skills based assessment, simulation based research, and IPE development.

Chad Epps, current President-Elect, and Pam Jeffries, past President had the privilege of representing SSH this year at the European SESAM conference held in Belfast June 24-26.   
There were several highlights of the conference, but the keynote speakers were at the top of my list:

The first keynote was Dr. Michael Good, Dean, University of Florida Medical School; the second day, we heard Dr. Pam Kato, Professor of Serious Games; and the final day included Dr. Bill McGaghie, Professor from Northwestern University, speaking on research in medical education.

The event was packed with various activities, plenaries, and many skills training events. On Thursday evening, the SESAM participant dinner was held at the Titanic Museum Ballroom - a spectacular replica of the Titanic, all important since Belfast was the site where the Titanic was built. The evening was fun, collaborative, and enjoyable by all attending.

Next year SESAM will be held in Lisbon, Portugal June 15-17, 2016.


IRC SPOTLIGHT          

The Internal Relations Committee (IRC), is a new standing committee in the Society. It is based on its precursor, the Membership committee, in that we oversee member recruitment, engagement and retention. Additionally, we have new responsibilities including: promoting collaboration and communication among all of the SSH entities including the Board, other committees, commission, sections, special interest groups, affinity groups, working groups, and the administration. 

Initially, we are focusing on sections and groups and have formed a subcommittee to oversee them. This subcommittee is devoted to supporting the leaders of sections, SIGs and affinity group and engaging SSH members through the areas of their professional interest. It is led by Alexis Battista, PhD and Jamie Stiner. This year they are concentrating on standardizing operating procedures across interest groups, mentoring new group leaders and leveraging our wonderful social/communication tool SimConnect.

Some other areas of focus for us this year include engaging new members in the society and providing additional membership opportunities to organizations, both commercial and non-profit. To support and evaluate these activities, the committee is working with the SSH staff to collect and analyze data on the utilization of SSH benefits by its members as a measure their engagement.

One the previously successful and exciting benefits available to new SSH members is our IMSH Mentoring program. Administered by the Internal Relations Committee, this program pairs first-time IMSH attendees with conference veterans to help them navigate the meeting, network, and find the sessions of interest to them. 

Rich Friedland, DPM, Vice-Chair