crupp posted on April 14, 2021 13:26
Hello from the office of SSH Accreditation!
We’re excited because the next SSH Accreditation application submission deadline is right around the corner, on May 15, 2021. So, we thought we’d highlight some Accreditation facts and tips for you as you consider why SSH Accreditation is the right choice.
Types of Accreditation
SSH Accreditation offers two types of Accreditation: Provisional and Full. SSH Provisional Accreditation is ideal for Simulation Programs that are either relatively new, or perhaps established for a few years, but have just begun collecting data related to operational and educational activities at the Program.
Established policies and procedures as well as demonstrated compliance with the SSH Provisional Core and Provisional Teaching/Education Standards are necessary to achieve Provisional Accreditation. Provisional Accreditation is granted for a period of two years.
SSH Full Accreditation is ideal for Simulation Programs that have been operational for at least two years and can provide 24 months’ worth of outcomes data from educational activities that have taken place within the Program. All applicants for Full Accreditation must apply in Full Core and at least one of the following areas: Assessment, Research or Teaching/Education. Then, if a Program chooses to do so, they may also apply for Systems Integration and/or Fellowship Program.
Established policies and procedures as well as demonstrated compliance with the Full Accreditation Standards are necessary to achieve Full Accreditation. Full Accreditation is granted for a period of five (5) years.
Get Started on an Application
Before a Program begins its application, it should familiarize itself with the SSH Accreditation Standards. Both the SSH Provisional and SSH Full Accreditation Standards are posted publicly on the SSH website. Click here to access the Provisional Accreditation Standards. Or, click here to access the SSH Full Accreditation Standards. Applicants are also highly encouraged to review the SSH Accreditation Companion Documents.
These documents were written by experienced SSH Accreditation Program Reviewers and help shed light on the ways programs can document and demonstrate compliance with SSH Accreditation Standards through the responses and materials programs provide within their application.
Once applicants are ready to complete an application, the process is done online through the SSH Accreditation Submission portals that can be accessed respectively through the same links provided above.
Additional Resources
We understand that reading through the SSH Accreditation Standards and corresponding companion documents may still leave some Simulation Program leaders wondering if their Program is truly ready to apply for Accreditation. So, just last year, we decided to launch courses on each area of Accreditation.
These courses are held online and are primarily asynchronous but allow for learners to attend live Q&A sessions during each week of the course offering. While participation in the online Accreditation courses does not guarantee success of the application submitted, feedback received to date has been overwhelmingly positive and indicates that attendees feel better-prepared to write and submit an application.
Click here for more information and to register for an online SSH Accreditation course. And, if you have any questions, we’re happy to help! You can contact us through any of the following:
General Inbox: accreditation@ssih.org
Director of Accreditation, Kristyn Gadlage: kgadlage@ssih.org
Accreditation Coordinator, Betsy Holzwarth: bholzwarth@ssih.org