Mission & Vision

The International Pediatric Simulation Society (IPSS) and the International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research, and Education (INSPIRE) promote multi-disciplinary simulation and simulation scholarship in all healthcare subspecialties that treat infants and children. IPSS is a global community of pediatricians, neonatologists, pediatric nurses, educators, and other allied health professionals from over 30 countries, all dedicated to improving the care of infants and children worldwide through multi-disciplinary simulation-based education, training, and research. INSPIRE is a global community of simulation experts, clinicians, educators, investigators, statisticians, human factors researchers, and psychologists who share a common mission of improving the lives of children through healthcare simulation-based research, scholarship, and innovation.  The IPSS-INSPIRE Pediatric Simulation Fellowship was created to support early career investigators in simulation, exposing them to simulation related experiences and mentorship to broaden horizons, and promote excellence in education and investigative research.

Overview

An IPSS-INSPIRE Pediatric Simulation Fellow is based at a home institution where most of their simulation activities are conducted. Each fellow will be assigned two simulation mentors (one local mentor + one international mentor OR two international mentors, depending on the availability of local simulation expertise) to expand and enrich their learning experience. Both mentors will work together during the course of the fellowship. Applications to the fellowship must include a motivational statement, research proposal and an individualized development plan.  These will be reviewed by the IPSS-INSPIRE Pediatric Simulation Fellowship Committee. The project idea will be presented at an IPSSW meeting in the form of an initial ALERT presentation during the INSPIRE meeting. ALERT presentations are brief 5-minute presentations followed by a round table discussion that serves as a platform to network as well as an opportunity to receive high quality feedback from simulation leaders on the project before launching it. The fellow will also submit a brief quarterly project progress report to the IPSS-INSPIRE Pediatric Simulation Fellowship Committee. The fellowship will be concluded with a research presentation at the following IPSSW meeting.

As part of the IPSS-INSPIRE Pediatric Simulation Fellowship, the fellows will meet every two months using an online meeting platform for networking and to exchange experiences.

Funding

Due to a generous donation to INSPIRE, funding for the fellowship expenses is available by special application. Funding can be used for project, career development, and travel related expenses, provided that the expense can clearly be associated with the fellow’s career development in pediatric simulation scholarship. Applying for funding requires a 1-page itemized budget detailing how funds will be used accompanied by a budget justification no more than 1 page in length describing how this will directly contribute to the completion of the fellow’s research project and their development as a pediatric simulation scholar. If awarded, funds not used by the applicant before the end of the fellowship will revert to INSPIRE. Application for funding can be made along with the primary application. Modifications to the request for funds will be considered on a case- by-case basis.

Check out the INSPIRE website for more information!