The Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) is proud to announce the launch of two innovative initiatives: the ASCEND Program and the SSH Discovery Award.

These programs will offer unparalleled opportunities to both experienced and early-career professionals in healthcare simulation, promoting research excellence and cultivating the next generation of leadership within the field.

ASCEND Program: Empowering Future Leaders

The Advancing Simulation Careers & Empowering Next-Generation Development (ASCEND) program is a new leadership development structure aimed at recognizing and mentoring early-career healthcare simulationists with outstanding leadership potential. Open to all global professionals with fewer than six years of experience in healthcare simulation, ASCEND seeks to develop the future leaders who will shape the healthcare simulation community.

Participants selected for the ASCEND Program will be recognized at the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) and receive a full year of mentorship from seasoned leaders in the field. ASCEND will offer networking opportunities, leadership development, and insights into SSH operations, helping to shape the future direction of the healthcare simulation community.

Applications for the ASCEND Program must be submitted by Oct. 11, 2024, 5 p.m. ET.

SSH Discovery Award: Advancing Innovative Research

Supported through donations to the SSH Fund, the new SSH Discovery Award has been created to foster larger-scale research projects that advance the field of healthcare simulation.

Starting with the 2025 award cycle, one $30,000 research award will be granted to support groundbreaking research. This initiative reflects SSH’s commitment to driving the science of healthcare simulation forward through significant research contributions.

The SSH Discovery Award invites studies that explore critical issues, such as the balance between realism and resource utilization, high- vs. low-fidelity simulations, and optimizing team learning through simulation. By backing cutting-edge research, SSH aims to contribute to improved healthcare education and delivery systems worldwide. (And, you can support this and other important initatives through the SSH Fund! Make your donation here!)

SSH Discovery Award applications are due by Oct. 28, 2024, 5 p.m. ET.

Both the ASCEND Program cohort and the SSH Discovery Award recipient will be formally recognized at IMSH 2025 during the Diamond Ball.