STCC Program Receives Accreditation from Society for Simulation in Healthcare

SPRINGFIELD — The Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) awarded Springfield Technical Community College’s (STCC) SIMS Medical Center with full accreditation in teaching and education, a prestigious recognition that underscores the program’s commitment to excellence in healthcare education and training.

SSH accreditation, the gold standard in healthcare simulation, serves as a benchmark for excellence in patient simulation. Accredited programs are committed to providing superior patient outcomes.

The SIMS Medical Center, located on the STCC campus in Building 20, was developed to provide a state-of-the-art, immersive educational environment where students and healthcare personnel obtain new skills and refine existing skills.

As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC offers a variety of healthcare programs and courses. Some of the programs — sonography, dental hygiene, dental assisting, surgical technology, medical laboratory technician, and physical therapist assistant — cannot be found elsewhere in the region.

Patient simulations allow students to experience a variety of healthcare scenarios as they pursue their course of study. Students in the college’s health science program also have the opportunity to experience simulations in a variety of fields in their first semester as they explore career opportunities. The program recently added new simulators representing patients with different cultural backgrounds to expand diversity in the lab.

Christopher Scott, dean of the School of Health and Patient Simulation (SHPS) at STCC, said the accreditation is “a testament to the dedication and excellence of our faculty, staff, and students.”

This is the first time the program has earned full accreditation. The SIMS Medical Center will be accredited until December 2029. The SSH team visited the facility for an on-site review before granting accreditation.

Scott applauded the work and leadership of staff and faculty who helped to secure the recognition. They include Renae Gorman, department chair and professor in the Physical Therapist Assistant program; Lisa Fugiel, assistant dean of the School of SHPS and director of Nursing; and Daniel O’Neill, simulation coordinator.

“It’s an honor to be recognized for our outstanding patient-simulation program,” Scott said. “Accreditation from the SSH reflects our commitment to providing top-tier education and training to the future healthcare professionals who will serve our community with skill and compassion.”

Christopher Thuot, vice president of Academic Affairs at STCC, added that “earning full accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare is a significant accomplishment, and we are one of only a few community colleges nationwide that have earned this distinction. It validates the quality of education we provide as an institution with a technical focus and reaffirms our commitment to training the next generation of healthcare professionals using the most advanced simulation techniques available.”

The SIMS Medical Center includes a number of care units with patient simulators that allow students, faculty, and providers to conduct medical procedures in real settings. The simulators are life-size, computer-controlled teaching tools that mimic human anatomy and physiology and provide a hands-on, immersive, realistic learning experience. Staff, who are located in an unseen control room, provide a voice for the simulator to interact with students.

The center also features an Innovations Lab with 3D design and printing, virtual-reality technology, and video experiences.

Prospective students can apply now for the fall semester, which starts Sept. 3. Massachusetts residents who have yet to earn a bachelor’s degree can enroll at STCC this fall for free thanks to a new state initiative known as MassEducate. Residents 25 and older without an associate or bachelor’s degree can enroll in MassReconnect, which offers free community college.