There is a meaningful difference between studying for a certification exam alone and studying within a structured group of peers working toward the same goal at the same time. The difference is not just accountability — though that matters. It is the actual quality of the learning.
SSH's CHSE and CHSOS Cohort programs are built on this premise. Cohort participants work through the exam blueprint together, in a structured sequence facilitated by an expert who guides the group through each domain and task area. The content is rigorous and directly aligned to what the exam assesses. The real value is the peer dynamic.
When you study alongside other simulationists preparing for certification, the learning becomes contextual and comparative. You hear how a colleague applies a concept in a pediatric simulation center. You challenge each other on clinical scenarios. You surface questions you didn't know you had because someone else asked first. That kind of collaborative sense-making is not available when you study alone.
Cohort programs also provide a structured timeline. For many professionals, the challenge of certification preparation is not the content — it is finding the discipline to move through it systematically over several months. The cohort schedule provides external structure that keeps preparation on track.
Participants consistently report that the relationships built within their cohort extend well beyond the exam. Cohort groups tend to stay in touch, support each other through recertification cycles, and become a lasting piece of each person's professional network.
Cohort programs run on a defined schedule with limited enrollment. If the current cohort cycle doesn't fit your timeline, registration for the next cycle opens as the current one closes.
The next CHSE Cohort begins in a few weeks on September 14, so you can register now for that! View all cohort schedules and register here. You can also contact our education team at education@ssih.org with questions.
And, a final quick p.s. -- Women in Leadership registration is also now open for the October 7 event. Check it out and register.
Until next time,
Trenell Croskey, BS, MCHM
SSH Director of Continuing Education