Simulation centers and pedagogical planning: Two sides of the same coin

AIMS: This article discusses the main issues related to the use and structuring of a simulation center, namely, logistics, use of resources and alignment between the pedagogical project and simulated activities. METHODS: A narrative literature review, with search in Web of Science, PubMed, SciELO and Google Scholar databases, included articles published up to June 2017. RESULTS: Medical simulation has been implemented in the health courses for training and assessment. Because of this implantation, many simulation centers have been created, involving a high cost for the construction as well as the maintenance. Many of the simulation centers have a low acceptance from teachers and students, letting them underused, especially when the methodology is not correctly implemented. The simulation centers will become important when they are aligned with the pedagogical planning. Planning a simulation center is a timeconsuming task, which requires visiting another simulation center to avoid major adjustments afterwards. It is important to identify the target group and the usage of the simulation center on the pedagogical planning to define the number of users and the type of structure. Also, it is necessary to identify the type of simulators the simulation center will use. Faculty development and multiple disciplinary teams are required. The lack of faculty development is one of the reasons of the underuse of the simulation center. Besides faculty development, other ways of optimize the simulation center is research and partnership between medical school and hospital. Medical school will have funding opportunities and interaction with society. The hospital will qualify their employees and increase the safety of their patients. While conducting the budget, there is a need to consider all those points, since only the physical space and the simulators are not sufficient for a good simulation center. CONCLUSIONS: The integration between education, research and assistance, and the alignment with the pedagogical project are of utmost importance for the use of simulation in healthcare, and essential for the development of new training and knowledge.