In a nutshell, programs that pursued SSH Accreditation five years ago are in a different position than those programs considering it now or in the future. The credential didn't change. The field did.
Healthcare simulation has moved. Institutions and regulatory bodies are asking questions about program quality and accountability that weren't on anyone's radar a decade ago. That's a natural progression of moving from curiosity to inquiring, and SSH Accreditation is a concrete answer to those questions — an answer that is independently verified, publicly documented, and recognized globally.
If you're waiting for the right moment to pursue it, the moment was probably two years ago. The next best time is this planning cycle (the next SSH Accredtation submission deadline is July 15, and the next Accreditation Prep Course - CORE Cohort 1 - runs July 6-31).
Our numbers back that up. SSH's most recent application cycle received 45 submissions for a single deadline — the highest we've ever seen. That isn't coincidence. Program leaders are reading the same landscape you are, and a significant number of them are acting on it.
Upcoming Deadline
Don't Wait for the Next Cycle
Application cycles fill and close. Programs that start the process now are ahead of those still deciding. Contact SSH's accreditation team to discuss where your program stands and what submitting this cycle would look like.
The practical returns go beyond the mark itself. Accredited programs gain access to SSH's global network of accredited institutions — a peer community built for sharing resources, comparing approaches, and solving problems you didn't know other programs had already solved. The reaccreditation process itself requires a structured self-assessment that most program directors tell me they found useful regardless of where it landed them.
And if your program has international reach or ambitions: SSH's Commission for International Simulation Accreditation (CISA) enables dual accreditation pathways with affiliate organizations worldwide. Three new CISA partnerships were announced at IMSH 2026. SSH Accreditation is the foundation that makes that work and will continue to do so.
The question I'd encourage you to sit with isn't whether SSH Accreditation is worth pursuing. It's whether waiting another cycle costs you something you can't get back.
Start the conversation at ssih.org/full-accreditation.
Here when you're ready,
Kristyn Gadlage, BSE
SSH Director of Accreditation