Greetings!
The new year is moving swiftly by, and IMSH already feels as if it were long ago. If you are like me this is a busy time of the year, and I know from personal experience that it can be challenging in the midst of work and personal responsibilities to recall the sense of camaraderie and unity we all experienced in San Antonio. But, please know that SSH is still working tirelessly behind the scenes to grow and support our community.
The SSH mission is threefold: to serve our members by fostering education, professional development, and the advancement of research and innovation; to promote the profession of healthcare simulation through standards and ethics; and to champion healthcare simulation through advocating, sharing, facilitating, and collaborating.
All of this is done in service to an expansive vision that embraces the entire simulation community around the world. This is what we stand for as a society, and the board is constantly shepherding both new and established initiatives designed to realize these aspirations.
This month, I’d like to take a moment to highlight one of these initiatives, the ASCEND program.
ASCEND stands for Advancing Simulation Careers and Empowering Next Generation Development. Instituted in 2025, this program provides early career simulationists with the tools and mentoring needed to develop and flourish in their careers.
Last month, I had the privilege of speaking to the 2026 inaugural session, and I can personally testify to the value of the program and the enthusiasm of this year’s class. The program is open to members of the healthcare simulation community. So, if you are new to simulation and want to engage more deeply with SSH, I urge you to consider applying.
The next admission cycle will open later this spring.
I look forward to sharing more about the new and ongoing developments within SSH and their impact on you and your simulation practice in future messages. Above all, though, as the year progresses let’s continue to do the important work we do with confidence. Together, we can make a difference for each other, our patients, our field, and our world.
Until next time,
Aaron Calhoun, MD, FSSH
SSH President, 2026-27