Building Clinical Readiness Through Interprofessional Simulation

Simulation designed around what learners need to do

At Elon University’s Interprofessional Simulation Center, each experience begins with the learning objective.

The center supports nursing, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, undergraduate programs, and community partners. Its work spans simulated participants, patient simulators, task trainers, and interprofessional learning experiences.

As Elon’s health sciences programs have grown, the center has grown with them. The team evaluates each investment by asking what learners need to know, what they need to do, and which approach will best help them get there.

“Every part of simulation needs to go back to your learning objectives.”

Dr. Nita Skillman · Interprofessional Simulation Center

From novice learner to clinical-ready professional

Simulation gives learners a place to build experience before entering clinical practice.

At Elon, students learn to communicate across disciplines, respond to the person in front of them, and work through unfamiliar situations as a team.

The goal is not to expect learners to arrive as experts. It is to give them a supportive environment where they can make mistakes, reflect, and grow into compassionate clinicians who are prepared to work with others.

“To see them go from their first year as a novice learner to a compassionate, clinical-ready learner by the end of year three is all worth it to us.”

Bethany Fearnow · Simulation Coordinator