SIM program
Safety. Innovation. Mastery.
About our program
The CHEO SIM Program provides a place where health professionals from all disciplines can come together to share, learn and master essential skills in a safe collaborative environment. CHEO SIM is an innovative program that combines in-situ and lab-based experiences for CHEO health care providers, community partners and families. CHEO SIM delivers high-quality educational programs and is committed to engaging in research to improve educational experiences, patient safety and care delivery. The CHEO SIM program is dedicated to creating a respectful, supportive, collaborative and safe environment for all learners.
The CHEO SIM program works hard to deliver learning experiences that most closely match those encountered in real life. Simulation events are conducted in-situ (i.e. in-patient units, ICU, ED etc.) or in the CHEO SIM lab. Our simulation lab, opening in 2022, has two rooms designed to mimic pediatric clinical settings and a debriefing space equipped with high-tech audiovisual equipment that can be used to record, stream and evaluate live simulation events.
In addition to multidisciplinary educational programs, the CHEO SIM is program is committed to research using simulation. Published literature has demonstrated the significant value of simulation-based education in improving teamwork and solidifying skills. The CHEO SIM program is involved in a variety of simulation-based research projects with a special focus on improving patient safety through the innovative use of simulation in studying adverse events.
Mission, vision and values
- Collaboration
- Innovation
- Safety
- Respect
- Excellence
- Inclusive
Meet our CHEO SIM leadership team
Dr. Anna-Theresa Lobos, Medical Director of Simulation
Dr. Lobos is an Associate professor at the University of Ottawa, Department of Pediatrics and Division of Critical Care. In addition to her role as a pediatric intensivist at CHEO, she is the Pediatric Critical Care Program Director, the Medical Director of CHEO’s Medical Emergency Team and the Medical Director of Simulation at CHEO since 2014.
Along with her colleagues, Dr. Lobos has developed an inter-professional educational program, the MET Recognition Course, aimed at increasing the recognition and management of acutely ill children. This program, taught locally to over 400 nurses, respiratory therapists and allied health care providers, has been implemented on the inpatient wards at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. In addition, Dr Lobos is part of the national educational research project for TREKK (Translating Emergency Knowledge for Kids) as a simulation and content expert, to develop printed materials, simulation scenarios and interviews with experts on a variety of acute care topics for dissemination nationally and internationally.
Dr. Lobos is passionate about using simulation to improve patient safety. She has been invited to speak internationally regarding her published research in simulation focusing on using simulation to improve root cause analysis and intervention implementation after adverse events.
Christina Toppozini, Simulation Program Educator
Mary MacNeil, Operations Director
Dr. Rick Gerein, Faculty Development
Dr. Rick Gerein is an assistant professor with the Division of Emergency Medicine at CHEO. He earned his MD at the University of Saskatchewan, followed by residency training in pediatrics at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, and a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at CHEO.
He is currently the medical director of ED simulation and PALS, as well as the lead for Faculty Development in simulation and debriefing. An avid skier, his ideal day is spent on the slopes with his family, trying to keep up with his 4 boys.
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