Instructor in Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School
Assistant in Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Mass General
Director, Institute for Medical Simulation
Education Director, Center for Medical Simulation
Research Areas
- Healthcare simulation: Debriefing, reflective practice, psychological safety, assessment
- Effective feedback as part of the teaching and learning process
- High performance, high stress teamwork
Description of Research
Simulation and Debriefing: Enhancing clinicians’ ability to reflect on and improve their teaching skills using experiential, simulation-based learning is the primary focus of my research. I study how clinicians become “reflective practitioners”—people capable of examining and adjusting their cognitive routines and emotional reactions to improve patient safety and quality and clinical teaching. I conduct research and teach about the qualities and preconditions of reflective practice in healthcare simulation, especially “debriefing.” Debriefing is a rigorous post-simulation dialogue that generates insights and behavior change to improve clinical practice. I am the lead developer of a debriefing assessment instrument.
High Performance, High Stress Teamwork: Healthcare providers occasionally find themselves in critical junctures of patient care when the stakes are high and time is short. Based on nearly 25 years experience in aviation and healthcare, I focus on developing training solutions for healthcare providers.