Greetings,
This past month has been a busy one at SSH. Not only are things coming together for a world class IMSH 2027 this January in New Orleans, but many of the initiatives that were begun this past winter are also coming to fruition.
On October 19, the World Alliance of Healthcare Simulation, which I first highlighted in my June message, held its inaugural General Assembly meeting. The gathering was quite well attended, with representatives from 34 simulation organizations from around the world. Enthusiasm for the effort was high, and the overall sense as the meeting concluded was that this was the first chapter of a new and exciting time for healthcare simulation worldwide. I truly think that efforts such as this represent the future of our field as we work collaboratively across the world to improve patient care.
In the same spirit of collaboration, I would like to call attention to a number of interprofessional events scheduled this this month that highlight the wide variety of clinical disciplines within our community of practice: National Allied Health Professions Week, Perioperative Nurse Week, and Nurse Practitioner Week.
Healthcare does not improve one discipline at a time, and the most effective training does not occur in isolated professional boxes. The outcomes that really matter - fewer adverse events, more reliable handoffs, safer surgical environments, clear clinical communication, and more - all depend on teams that train together, trust each other, and see the differing expertise that each profession brings as something to be valued. A team that meets at the bedside for the first time over a decompensating patient will never function as well as one that has practiced together beforehand.
This principle is one of the reasons SSH was founded, and it is still just as important today. Indeed, SSH is one of the few organizations where the entire team can find a professional home to learn, explore, and create new ways to work together for the good of the patients we serve. And, I'm so proud to be a part of it with you.
Aaron Calhoun, MD, FSSH
SSH President, 2026-27