MGH Learning Laboratory: Fellowship

The MGH Fellowship in Medical Simulation was founded in collaboration with the Gilbert Program in Medical Simulation at Harvard Medical School, offering one of the country's most established training programs in simulation-based medical education.  The fellowship is tailored to physicians who have completed a primary residency and are Board eligible/certified.  It is designed for individuals who seek dedicated expertise in simulation-based medical education theory and practice, and who wish to play a leadership role in the field.

The fellowship experience is tailored to the individual trainee, and the core curriculum is completed over one year of study.  An optional second year is available to those who wish to pursue advanced academic work/training, and is arranged at the initiation of the fellowship.  All fellows complete comprehensive curricular modules offered by the Harvard Macy Institute and the Institute for Medical Simulation, both world-renowned centers for advanced medical faculty development.  Simulation teaching experience is provided at MGH and Harvard Medical School, as well as at affiliated local simulation centers.  Active academic mentorship is provided by experts in the field, across the Boston simulation community.  All fellows pursue a Certificate of Teaching and Learning with a Concentration in Healthcare Simulation through the MGH Institute of Health Professions, an interdisciplinary graduate school founded by Massachusetts General Hospital.  This certificate combines coursework from the affiliated Harvard Macy Institute and the Institute for Medical Simulation, along with individualized teaching and research projects supervised by PhD-level faculty.   Advanced degree work is also available, and tailored to the individual fellow’s career plan.  Medical Simulation Fellows have also pursued Master's degrees in Medical Education (now also available as a continuation of certificate studies through the MGH IHP) as well as Public Health.  Fellows have wide flexibility in choosing a curricular path best suited to their specific interest and career plans. 

For further information about the MGH Fellowship in Medical Simulation, please contact MGHSimulation@partners.org.

There are four core components of the simulation fellowship curriculum:

I. Intensive Faculty Development in Medical Education (Harvard-Macy Institute Program for Educators in the Health Professions: description from the Institute website):

The goal of this Harvard Macy Program is to enhance the professional development of physicians, basic scientists and other healthcare professionals as educators. The program will combine five major themes: Learning and teaching, curriculum, evaluation, leadership, and information technology. The program provides a select group of 55 healthcare professionals with the knowledge base and skills to enhance their expertise in both conducting an educational project of their own design and taking a leadership role in the educational activities at their home institutions.

The program consists of two sessions in residence at Harvard: an 11-day winter session and a 6-day spring session. Learning formats include large-group presentations, interactive exercises, problem-based learning, observations, reflective use of journals, and discussion in large and small groups. A variety of faculty-facilitated small-group formats are used to support learning from observation, to draw together scholars with common interests, and to further the development of each scholar's back-home project for educational change.

II. Intensive Faculty Development in Medical Simulation (Institute for Medical Simulation Comprehensive Workshop: description taken from the Institute website)
This course is an intensive immersion experience in medical simulation. Experienced leaders at the forefront of the field conduct the course which covers all high-level elements and concepts involved in running a simulation program. Attendees will join a growing community of Institute graduates positioned as leaders in the field.

The program lasts 5 1⁄2 days. The daily formats vary and include simulation scenarios, lectures, small and large group discussions, case studies, and practical exercises with feedback. There will also be two evening social events providing additional opportunities for networking and experience sharing.

Topics include:
- patient simulation: history and context
- operating a simulation program
- teaching clinical thinking and skills
- teaching teamwork and crisis resource management
- developing debriefing skills
- introducing behavioral and educational research paradigms
- advancing simulation within one’s institution

III. Longitudinal Practicum in Medical Simulation
Simulation teaching experience is provided at MGH and Harvard Medical School, where fellows run the On-Demand Medical Education Service. Fellows organize and administer a busy teaching service which manages over 1000 hours of dedicated instructional effort per year. Emphasis at the Medical School is placed on cognitive decision-making and critical thinking within the context of basic science learning; at the Hospital, emphasis is placed on advanced clinical skill performance and assessment. Feedback and oversight is provided by program Faculty.

IV. Advanced Academic Studies
Fellows interested in pursuing careers in academia will engage in dedicated curricular study through any one of a number of Certificate, Degree, or Individualized programs tailored to their particular background, interests, and goals. Such coursework typically includes, for example, instructional design and assessment, qualitative and quantitative methods, educational theory and practice. These fellows will work toward independent scholarly publication, under faculty guidance. All Fellows may pursue a Certificate of Teaching and Learning with a concentration in healthcare simulation through the MGH Institute for Health Professions, an interdisciplinary graduate school for healthcare professionals.

Eligibility

The MGH Learning Laboratory Medical Simulation Fellowship accepts graduates from ACGME-accredited residency programs, who must be Board eligible/Board certified in their clinical specialty.

Required materials

The following application materials should be sent electronically to our Simulation Fellowship Program at MGHSimulation@partners.org

1. Formal letter of interest; including interest in pursuit of 1 or 2 years of training
2. Current CV
3. At least two letters of recommendation; one of which must be written by your residency program director.

Annual Timeline

The annual application process begins on July 1 and all application materials are due by September 1.  Applicants will be notified by September 15 regarding the status of their application and the possibility of an interview.  Fellowship position offers are typically announced by early December for a July 1 start in the following year.