Simulations Working Group

Overview

Our mission is to establish simulation as a pillar in education for women’s health through collaboration, advocacy, research, and the development and implementation of multidisciplinary simulations-based educational resources and opportunities for obstetrics and gynecology.

Acquiring phenomenal clinical and surgical skills during obstetric-gynecologic residency training has always been of paramount importance. Increasing emphasis on patient safety and risk management concerns have presented convincing arguments, including strategies for ensuring that residents develop a solid foundation in teamwork, effective communication, basic surgical techniques, and demonstration of skill competencies. This should occur before residents participate in actual surgical skills and procedures in hospital operating theaters. The development of surgical procedure simulators and simulation team training has accelerated in recent years.

In 2008, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists formed a Working Group of state-of-the-art simulation centers, with the goal of developing and validating a variety of Obstetrics and Gynecologic simulation-based curricula. The Simulation Working Group is comprised of members geographically located across the United States. See the membership and provisional member lists. Applications for new members are accepted from February through October, with the Working Group voting on new members each December. All applicants are notified of application status in January.

Objectives

• To develop standardized curricula available to all residency programs
• To develop standardized teaching and evaluation methods practiced and validated by Working Group members, to ensure the efficacy of simulations education
• To provide validation of simulations-based education (as a useful teaching strategy) for developing and improving surgical skills, clinical skills, and behavioral skills with a focus on patient safety and the performance of high-quality surgical procedures

Updated February 2021