November 18, 2025 • 26 mins
What if the next breakthrough in healthcare simulation isn’t a device, but the proof that changes patient outcomes? We sit down with Matt Charnetski —paramedic turned technologist turned incoming president of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare—to chart a path from personal experience to system-level impact. Matt’s journey starts in Antarctic search and rescue and lands in board leadership, stitching together IT chops, clinical practice, and a bias for service that opened doors and built programs others can use.
Across this conversation, we get specific about what growth should mean for a global simulation community. Matt lays out a simple mandate: make pathways to serve obvious, invite more voices to the table, and treat partnerships with international organizations as two-way streets. As IMSH grows, he pushes for smarter matching between people and content, smaller communities inside big events, and technology that helps newcomers navigate without getting lost. It’s scale with intimacy, and it turns attendance into collaboration.
When we pivot to innovation, Matt targets the evidence gap. We already measure satisfaction and short-term learning; the leap is linking simulation to clinical outcomes, determining the right dose of practice, and funding the early work that proves it. That’s where the Ascend mentorship program and early career research grants come in—structured guidance, two-mentor support, and resources that turn good ideas into publishable studies and effective curricula. The payoff is a field that can defend its value in outcomes, not just anecdotes.
Matt’s why is human. A family story about communication in hospitals became a lesson he carried into paramedicine and now into leadership: teamwork is treatment. That’s why he invests in the people who teach, operate, and research simulation, because their impact cascades to learners and patients. If you care about inclusive leadership, meaningful mentorship, and research that moves the needle, this conversation will give you a clear map—and an invitation to join in.
If this resonated, follow and share the show, leave a rating or review, and tell us: what proof would help you advance simulation where you work?
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Welcome to The Sim Cafe, apodcast produced by the team at
Innovative Sim Solutions, editedby Shelly Houser.
Join our host, Deb Tauber, andco-host Jerrod Jeffries, as they
(01:06):
sit down with subject matterexperts from across the globe to
reimagine clinical educationand the use of simulation.
So pour yourself a cup ofrelaxation, sit back, tune in,
and learn something new fromThe Sim Cafe.
Deb Tauber (01:31):
Welcome to The Sim Cafe Podcast, where we bring
together leaders, educators, andinnovators shaping the world of
healthcare simulation.
And I'm your host, Deb Tauber,and today we are honored to
h Matt Charnetski .
So welcome, Matt, and thank youso much for agreeing to be a
guest.
Matt Charnetski (01:50):
Thanks for having me, Deb.
I appreciate it.
Deb Tauber (01:51):
So, first of all, congratulations on becoming the
next president of the Societyfor Simulation and Healthcare.
Can you thank you and cancongrats.
Matt Charnetski (02:01):
I'm pretty excited.
Yeah, I'm I'm I'm excited aboutit.
Deb Tauber (02:05):
Can you share about your journey?
What first drew you intosimulation and how it's evolved
as you've taken on leadershiproles within the Society for
Simulation and Healthcarespecifically?
Matt Charnetski (02:16):
Yeah.
I was pretty lucky.
I fell into SIM by accident,like so many of us did.
When I first fell into it, Ididn't know that's what I was
doing.
So in emergency medicalservices, search and rescue,
things like that, we just calledit scenario-based training.
But really, when I got my startin SIM was working with the
joint Antarctic search andrescue team, where I was a team
(02:39):
member and then eventually oneof the medical people on the
team.
And we would recruit peoplefrom town to come be our
patients, and then they'd comeout with us for the day out into
wherever we were going, andthey would be the patient, and
then we would have to get themout of whatever situation they
were in and all of that.
And I had no idea thatsimulation was a thing or that
that there was, you know, realpractice behind it or anything
(02:59):
like that.
And then years went by and Ileft the Antarctic program and I
worked in electronic medicalrecords implementation for a
while, and then was a full-timeparamedic for a while.
And as I was getting out ofbeing a paramedic, Des Moines
University posted a jobdescription looking for someone
with five years of IT experiencewith healthcare IT being
(03:22):
preferred, and five years ofpatient care experience with
paramedics being preferred.
And I thought, oh, that'sunusual.
And I found out years laterthey only invited me to
interview because they thought Iwas lying on my resume, because
it was bullet point by bulletpoint what they were looking
for, which is great for me.
And hopefully I think theystill think great for them.
(03:43):
And so I started as asimulation operations specialist
back then.
And that's when my eyes reallygot opened to everything that
was out there and all the stuffthat was going on.
And I have a nerdy technicalbackground, and then I have this
health professions background,and I grew up in hospitals
because my mom was ill.
And all of these pieces kind ofcame together, and then I had
(04:04):
this leaning towards education,and all of a sudden, here's this
career path that has all of it.
And yeah, I'd been in the rolefor maybe I don't know, it was
probably eight or nine months,and my boss came to me and he
said, I know you had talkedabout looking at a master's
degree.
Drexel is offering a master'sin medical simulation, and but
(04:26):
it's mostly distance and allthis stuff.
I maybe you'd be interested init.
And I poked around it a littlebit and ended up being in the
first cohort of their programway back when, and that just
sort of set everything on fire.
I mean, I just I was blown awayby what the world had to offer.
And at about the same time, Itook my CHSOS because I had been
(04:46):
in sim for enough time and Ihad some experience behind me.
And I was, I believe I was inthe first group of people to
take the test after the pilot.
So I got to the to fortunatelybe one of the people that I took
the test and I got my scoreimmediately, which was great.
And as soon as I had finishedthat, two things happened.
One, SSH reached out with acall for service asking people
(05:10):
who had just gotten their CHSOSif they'd be interested in
helping put together thereadiness review courses.
And through this community uhin uh amongst the Drexel
faculty, I started to get toknow Sharon Griswold,
Theodorsen, Robbie Hales, AnneMarie Monacino.
Uh I'm trying to think.
(05:31):
There's so many people.
Adam Chang, Paul Frampus was apiece of it, Jeff Barsuck.
I mean, just all these fabulouspeople that at the time I had
no idea how huge these peoplewere in contributing to the
simulation community and intoresearch and into kind of
practices that were going on.
Suzie Kardong Edgren, reallyjust like this fabulous list of
(05:51):
people that I was so naive thathere I am working with them.
I signed up to do the readinessreview thing where I got to
meet Tim Whitaker and LishRobinson and a bunch of other
folks.
And it just opened my eyes tothis whole community that was
out there.
And it started to get meinvolved with SSH.
I went to my first IMSH thatyear uh in New Orleans.
(06:13):
And as all of that was comingtogether, I thought this, I love
this thing.
I love volunteering, like I'mI'm here for it.
And so as I started kind ofpoking around, I am a natural
volunteer.
And so anytime somebody wouldask if there was someone who
could help out with X, Y, or Z,I would, I would say yes,
(06:37):
typically.
And I'd say 60% of the time mesaying yes meant anything.
Other times they'd be like,Yeah, yeah, yeah, guy, sit down.
But plenty of times it it ledto me being able to participate
in these things and get to knowall these fabulous people that
are part of our community.
And through that, then withinSSH, I was chair of the
(07:00):
hospital-based SIM programs.
I was on the internal relationscommittee.
I signed up for lots ofdifferent things, helping build
things.
I taught the readiness reviewcourse for years through a
couple of other affiliations.
I then was an item reviewer forthe CHSOS test and you know,
(07:21):
just really, really got to kindof touch all sorts of things, at
which point I decided to runfor the board.
And that year I ran just as anat-large director, and I thought
this looks like a great way toserve.
What an interesting thing.
I would love to do this.
And I ran and I lost.
I lost to Don Shokan, who is afabulous person to lose to.
(07:43):
But in that year, the upcomingyear was Haru Akuda's president
year, and he appointed me asmore or less a representative of
the operations committee uhcommunity to the board.
And so I got to join the board.
It was a one-year appointment.
And while I was there, I, youknow, I got to see how the
sausage was made, and I got tomeet people and see how our
(08:06):
board functions.
And it really got me excitedabout it.
And so the next year I ran,that time I ran for the
secretary of the board, which Ihad held previous secretary
positions in other boards andhad been part of other
communities in that sense.
So I ran and and I won thatyear.
So I had a two-year appointmentas secretary of the board and
(08:27):
then one year as an at-largedirector, just the way they make
sure people overlap and kind ofhave some continuity.
And at the beginning of myat-large year, I decided to run
for president.
And I ran, that was last year.
Uh I ran uh and I did not winagain, which was, you know, it
sort of hits you in the pride,but also great.
(08:48):
And for me as a person, I havealways been of the if I don't
get it the first time, it makesme like believe in it a little
bit more.
And I think, oh, theirprocesses are probably working
correctly.
And so this year I did runagain because I was I was still
on the board, so I had one moreopportunity to run this time.
Ran for the board and then andthen subsequently won.
(09:08):
So through that time on theboard, I've had the opportunity
to be the liaison to theeducation committee, the liaison
to the technology committee, tothe newly formed DEI committee,
or relatively newly formed.
I was part of the DEI taskforce that led into that, and
just really and and lately havebeen the uh the board member who
sits on the meetings oversightcommittee.
(09:30):
So really getting to see all ofthe different pieces and parts
of SSH and how it's run andmeeting all the people that are
contributing to that has beenjust a fabulous journey for
sure.
Deb Tauber (09:43):
Wow.
It's a lot of it's a lot ofservice.
Thank you.
But you do have a um anintricate view from being in all
those different roles.
Matt Charnetski (09:52):
Yeah, it's it's always a double-edged sword
for an organization to be verylarge, right?
We we want to be large, we wantto be larger, we want to serve
the community, we want to bepart of all these things.
And SSH is is certainly a largecommunity now.
You know, I I think right nowwe're at 5600, 5800 members,
something like that.
We've got quite a few members,and the conference has been
(10:15):
getting larger and larger everyyear.
Last year I want to say it was4400, something like that.
Quite a few people attendingthese things.
And as it gets larger, there'smore opportunities to serve, but
there's also more need, andthere's there's just more moving
pieces to the whole thing.
And as all of that comestogether, then it's a hardship
(10:37):
to steer, but also it has somuch ability to then be able to
serve the community, mentorpeople, build people up, and do
so many things because there'sso many people who have such
great ideas.
Deb Tauber (10:51):
And as you step into this role, what is your vision
for SSH over the next year,coming years?
Matt Charnetski (10:59):
Yeah, so the the president position is
interesting with SSH.
So we do a three-yearpresidency, but it's your first
year, you're president-elect.
So my president-elect yearstarts right after IMSH this
year, and then your one year aspresident, and then one year as
immediate past president.
And that just gives us someoverlap and some continuity and
all those sorts of things.
And so to that end, it's athree-year appointment, but it's
(11:22):
one year as president.
And for me, I I look at this assuch a great opportunity to be
a steward of an importantcommunity that has been built up
by all these fabulous people,uh, the members, but also the
past presidents and folks thathave really created something
(11:43):
special.
And so I think seeing myself asa steward of that and and kind
of maintaining the course thatwe're on.
But personally, the spot whereI feel like I want to focus my
efforts are predominantlysurrounding kind of inclusivity,
and particularly in the sensethat I think we have all these
(12:04):
opportunities for service and wehave this growing community,
but finding the pathwayssometimes are a little
difficult.
And I was really fortunate tostumble into a lot of great
opportunities or force my wayinto them, depending on who you
ask, I suppose.
Uh, but but making thoseopportunities more clear, more
obvious, and getting more peopleto the table so that we can
(12:27):
hear more voices from ourcommunity, so that we can be
truly representative of themembership that we have, part
one.
And then part two, we see allof these different organizations
around the world that are doingsuch great work and they're
contributing to this simulationcommunity that we are a part of.
And we happen to be large, butthat doesn't mean we're the only
(12:51):
ones doing great work.
And I want to really focus onbuilding those meaningful
relationships that we've builtso many over time, but looking
closely at them and helping usto connect with all those
different organizations inmeaningful ways, in productive
ways, and making sure that notonly is their voice heard and
(13:12):
the the things they're workingon are coming forward, but that
we're all contributing to thosethings together and they to us
uh in the same way.
Uh I think those things arereally important to me.
Deb Tauber (13:22):
Excellent.
Now, where do you see the nextbig leap happening in
simulation?
And how do you think SSH canhelp guide and shape that
innovation?
Matt Charnetski (13:32):
You know, it's a great question.
And I think immediately, ofcourse, I want to talk about
technology and that I don'tknow.
I don't know where the next bigleap in technology is.
But I think the place where wehave a really interesting
opportunity as a society, butalso just in sim, you know, the
next opportunity for us is inthe the efforts that are are
(13:56):
ongoing to formalize researchand to help us get to the point
where we are really collectingmore and more concrete data
about how sim can effectively beused, how we can produce the
outcomes that we need toresearch not just on simulation,
but also the research usingsimulation and connecting us in
(14:19):
a way that allows us to get pastthose level one and level two
responses where yes, thelearners enjoyed it and yes, the
learners learned something, butalso start stretching into the
space of this had a realconcrete effect on patient
outcomes.
And this is the appropriatedose of simulation, right?
(14:40):
Right now we know that there'svalue in it, but how much is too
much?
How much is too little?
Um, and so I think looking atthose sorts of things will be
important.
And then my hope, my mysincerest hope is that we keep
moving towards hollow decks andthings like that, where Star
Trek becomes reality and uh wecan get more and more immersive
simulation that is cheaper andcheaper.
(15:01):
I mean, that's that's my dream,but but I I really think the
increasing the evidence thatgoes behind how we use sim and
how sim is most effective is isgoing to be our next big leap.
Deb Tauber (15:14):
Yes, yeah.
I would agree, and I think uh Ithink you're on a good
trajectory to make some of thosethings happen, my friend.
Matt Charnetski (15:24):
Hopefully.
Hopefully.
Deb Tauber (15:26):
Now, SSH has always been about community, connecting
educators, clinicians,researchers, industry partners.
How do you plan to strengthenthe sense of collaboration?
Matt Charnetski (15:37):
Yeah, I think um for me personally, just
looking at how we can beststructure our relationships with
different organizations andalso how we can potentially
offer more of that intimatefeeling of previous conferences
and using more technology to beable to connect people.
(16:00):
As IMSH gets bigger and bigger,we often are hearing about how
people feel like they just getlost in the crowd or they can't
find the right sessions.
And a ton of work has been donein the last couple of years,
particularly to mitigate that,to help people connect with each
other, to help new people findtheir way, and also to create
communities within SSH thatallow folks to connect with
(16:22):
those that are important tothem.
And I think continuing thatwork and continuing to build on
those successes will be reallyimportant.
I also think we've had so manyreally wonderful relationships
with other organizations allaround the planet and continuing
that and continuing to growthat, but also taking it a step
(16:43):
further and saying, How do weserve you?
and how do you want to workwith us?
Where do you see ourinteraction to these different
affiliates to be able to make itso that everybody comes out
with something more concrete andit it builds that sense of
community and collaboration, notjust uh tacitly, but really
specifically and in concreteways.
Deb Tauber (17:04):
Okay.
And we constantly talk aboutmore mentorship and leadership
development.
What why don't you tell us alittle bit about some of the
initiatives?
I think I know some of them,but yeah.
Matt Charnetski (17:15):
I think the two the two biggest and most
exciting ones right now are theAscend program, which I
apologize.
I I don't recall the what theacronym actually stands for.
But it's it's really for earlycareer simulationists to have an
opportunity to connect withmore experienced simulationists
of all varieties, educators,research, operations folks,
(17:38):
subject matter experts, youknow, across the board, and give
them an opportunity to have afocused connection with those
folks to be able to build theircareer, find those niches where
they want to work, where theycan work, looking at how they
can grow professionally and kindof become what they want to
(18:01):
become as they go.
And then the other thing that'sout there that I think is
really important is the uh earlycareer research grant.
And that I believe in the lastcouple of years, we've increased
the total amount of money thatis available for that.
I believe it's it's there'smore awards, not a bigger award
necessarily.
And from those, I think there'sjust there's so many costs that
(18:26):
are associated with researchthat you know, we look at big
grants to fund major researchprojects, but even small
research projects come withoverhead.
And so for the society to besponsoring that, and also for
the research committee to beable to bring expertise to the
table and connect folks tomentors that can help them plan
(18:46):
their research project and pushthat forward, I think are both
really important initiatives.
I'm excited to see them as theygrow.
Ascend is new.
We just did our second yearapplications, the early research
grant, it has been around for alittle bit longer, but we're,
like I said, it's it's growingas part of the SSH fund.
And so we're hoping to see morein that realm too.
Deb Tauber (19:08):
Yeah, I'm part of the Ascend group, and so I can
speak to the organization of itthis year, it's excellent.
They've done, you know, somekickoff meetings, having two
mentors per mentee, which isreally, you know, that's gonna
be nice for the mentors as well.
I'm gonna have another workwith Philip Wortham as well as
David Farr.
Yep.
(19:28):
So with with our new uh Ascendpeople, but it's very organized,
and I think it it's definitelya way to work on development of
people in in simulation.
Matt Charnetski (19:41):
Yeah, yeah, that's exciting.
Thanks for doing that, and I'mexcited to see what comes out of
this year's cohort.
Deb Tauber (19:48):
Yeah, it's so organized though.
I I think Marie's doing a greatjob, and uh yeah, Andrew and
the whole group.
On a personal note, what keepsyour passion for simulation
alive?
Is there a personal story you'dlike to share that reminds you
of why this work really matters?
Matt Charnetski (20:06):
There's a lot of personal stories that remind
me why this work reallymatters.
To go as far back as possible,I think about the first time
that I recognized that teamworkand communication were something
really critical to health care.
And uh I mentioned before mymom was very ill growing up and
and through pretty much all ofher life.
(20:27):
And uh I was in high school andI got a call.
I was at at school and I got acall that they needed me to come
to the hospital.
My mom, my mom had been in thehospital for a few days.
It wasn't a surprise that shewas in the hospital, but they
needed me to come talk to herbecause the physician was having
a hard time getting through toher.
(20:47):
And I thought, that's weird, Idon't know what that's all
about.
And so I went to the hospitaland I walked in, and my mom was
just happily sitting thereeating, having a nice time, ill,
but that was not new.
And I said, What's going on?
She said, Well, the doctordoesn't want to talk to me.
And I said, What do you meanthe doctor doesn't want to talk
to you?
And she said, Well, I let himknow what I thought of him.
And I said, I don't, I, Idon't, I don't really know what
(21:10):
you mean by that.
And she said, I didn'tappreciate the way he was
talking to the nurses.
So I let him know that I didn'tthink very much of him.
Now, that's the abbreviatedversion of the story.
It went on from there.
But I think the take-home fromthat and from so many other
interactions that, you know, mydad was a lawyer, so he had lots
of interactions with thehospital there as well.
(21:31):
And I just so routinely saw howimportant communication was and
how much of a difference thatmade in patient care and the
relationship with patients forall healthcare professionals.
And then it goes on from there,you know, my career as a
paramedic and having theopportunity to have plenty of
interactions where I did not dothings well and didn't do things
(21:52):
the way I maybe could have.
And I think I was a prettydecent paramedic, but there's
just so much opportunity formore training and more learning
that all of those thingstogether obviously brought me to
the table.
And now what keeps mepassionate about it, well, what
originally got me passionateabout it was seeing those
(22:14):
moments where the learnersreally got to stretch their legs
and really something resonatedwith them, and all of a sudden
their healthcare career reallystarted to sort of generate
around that experience.
Now it's sort of one stepremoved, and now I feel that
same way, but now it's about thefolks I get to work with
through the MGH IHP master'sprogram, through people that I
(22:37):
get to work with throughdifferent mentoring programs, or
just people who reach out toask questions and seeing folks
that are as excited after aspecific interaction, a specific
experience about doing sim asthose learners were about doing
healthcare.
And so, you know, working withmy team now, uh, we've had a
(23:00):
chance to hire some new peoplerecently and getting to see
those folks also generate apassion for sim and get excited
about like the impact that wecan have is cool.
And it keeps me going back formore.
And so the three levels ofimpact that we have on our
staff, our learners, and theirfuture patients, that just gets
(23:21):
me all charged up for sure.
Deb Tauber (23:23):
Yeah.
And I'm sorry about your mom.
It had to be very challengingwhen you were growing up.
Matt Charnetski (23:29):
It was a thing.
It was definitely a thing.
Uh it was a very long, longstory and a much longer story
for her as well.
But uh, but yeah, thank you.
Deb Tauber (23:37):
Now, are there any final words that you'd like to
leave our listeners with on howwe can support you in your new
role specifically?
Matt Charnetski (23:45):
I I mean, I this community has been so
supportive to me over the yearsin so many different ways.
I hesitate to ask for more.
And I guess I'm looking for theways that I can support this
community.
My words to them are just or toanyone who's listening, I
guess, at this point, to justkeep doing what you're doing.
It is such impactful work, andthis community is so powerful,
(24:09):
not just professionally and notjust in healthcare.
Sim outside of healthcare, butalso amongst this community.
Most of my closest friends arein sim.
So many of the people that havebeen important to me
professionally and alsopersonally are in this
community.
So keep engaging and keepshowing up and keep building
those relationships.
And then tell me about it.
Come talk to me.
(24:29):
I'm I I like to think I'm apretty approachable person.
And if ever I have to shade myeyes and run away, it's probably
not personal.
I'm probably just told that Ihave to be somewhere a certain
time.
I have a lot of handlers, a lotof people that that have to
keep me on track.
So let me know and keep meposted on how everything's
going.
Deb Tauber (24:46):
Okay.
And if our listeners want toget a hold of you, where should
they get all of you?
Matt Charnetski (24:50):
LinkedIn is great.
My phone number is out there inthe world, so is my email.
Uh, I won't put it here just sothat we don't end up with
millions and millions of peoplewith that information.
But LinkedIn is a great waythrough the SSH website is also
a great way to get a hold of me.
There's a new messagingfunction in our website through
SimConnect.
So come find me.
And if there's anything I cando, please let me know.
Deb Tauber (25:13):
Well, I might have you in the meet with the new
dissimulation group.
Perfect.
I'd love to.
Right?
Yeah.
Matt Charnetski (25:20):
I'd love to.
Deb Tauber (25:21):
I'll put that out there as the chair this upcoming
year.
I I'm looking for ideas, andthat might be a real way to get
get the people fired up about itwhen they learn about your
journey.
Matt Charnetski (25:31):
That would be fantastic.
I I love meeting with folksthat are new to sim and people
who've been in sim that are justnew to me.
But uh yeah, happy to meet withanybody.
Deb Tauber (25:40):
Okay.
Thank you so much and happysimulating.
Matt Charnetski (25:45):
Thanks, Debbie.
Disclaimer/ EMS ad/ Intr (25:46):
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(00:22):
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Welcome to The Sim Cafe, apodcast produced by the team at
Innovative Sim Solutions, editedby Shelly Houser.
Join our host, Deb Tauber, andco-host Jerrod Jeffries, as they
(01:06):
sit down with subject matterexperts from across the globe to
reimagine clinical educationand the use of simulation.
So pour yourself a cup ofrelaxation, sit back, tune in,
and learn something new fromThe Sim Cafe.
Deb Tauber (01:31):
Welcome to The Sim Cafe Podcast, where we bring
together leaders, educators, andinnovators shaping the world of
healthcare simulation.
And I'm your host, Deb Tauber,and today we are honored to
h Matt Charnetski .
So welcome, Matt, and thank youso much for agreeing to be a
guest.
Matt Charnetski (01:50):
Thanks for having me, Deb.
I appreciate it.
Deb Tauber (01:51):
So, first of all, congratulations on becoming the
next president of the Societyfor Simulation and Healthcare.
Can you thank you and cancongrats.
Matt Charnetski (02:01):
I'm pretty excited.
Yeah, I'm I'm I'm excited aboutit.
Deb Tauber (02:05):
Can you share about your journey?
What first drew you intosimulation and how it's evolved
as you've taken on leadershiproles within the Society for
Simulation and Healthcarespecifically?
Matt Charnetski (02:16):
Yeah.
I was pretty lucky.
I fell into SIM by accident,like so many of us did.
When I first fell into it, Ididn't know that's what I was
doing.
So in emergency medicalservices, search and rescue,
things like that, we just calledit scenario-based training.
But really, when I got my startin SIM was working with the
joint Antarctic search andrescue team, where I was a team
(02:39):
member and then eventually oneof the medical people on the
team.
And we would recruit peoplefrom town to come be our
patients, and then they'd comeout with us for the day out into
wherever we were going, andthey would be the patient, and
then we would have to get themout of whatever situation they
were in and all of that.
And I had no idea thatsimulation was a thing or that
that there was, you know, realpractice behind it or anything
(02:59):
like that.
And then years went by and Ileft the Antarctic program and I
worked in electronic medicalrecords implementation for a
while, and then was a full-timeparamedic for a while.
And as I was getting out ofbeing a paramedic, Des Moines
University posted a jobdescription looking for someone
with five years of IT experiencewith healthcare IT being
(03:22):
preferred, and five years ofpatient care experience with
paramedics being preferred.
And I thought, oh, that'sunusual.
And I found out years laterthey only invited me to
interview because they thought Iwas lying on my resume, because
it was bullet point by bulletpoint what they were looking
for, which is great for me.
And hopefully I think theystill think great for them.
(03:43):
And so I started as asimulation operations specialist
back then.
And that's when my eyes reallygot opened to everything that
was out there and all the stuffthat was going on.
And I have a nerdy technicalbackground, and then I have this
health professions background,and I grew up in hospitals
because my mom was ill.
And all of these pieces kind ofcame together, and then I had
(04:04):
this leaning towards education,and all of a sudden, here's this
career path that has all of it.
And yeah, I'd been in the rolefor maybe I don't know, it was
probably eight or nine months,and my boss came to me and he
said, I know you had talkedabout looking at a master's
degree.
Drexel is offering a master'sin medical simulation, and but
(04:26):
it's mostly distance and allthis stuff.
I maybe you'd be interested init.
And I poked around it a littlebit and ended up being in the
first cohort of their programway back when, and that just
sort of set everything on fire.
I mean, I just I was blown awayby what the world had to offer.
And at about the same time, Itook my CHSOS because I had been
(04:46):
in sim for enough time and Ihad some experience behind me.
And I was, I believe I was inthe first group of people to
take the test after the pilot.
So I got to the to fortunatelybe one of the people that I took
the test and I got my scoreimmediately, which was great.
And as soon as I had finishedthat, two things happened.
One, SSH reached out with acall for service asking people
(05:10):
who had just gotten their CHSOSif they'd be interested in
helping put together thereadiness review courses.
And through this community uhin uh amongst the Drexel
faculty, I started to get toknow Sharon Griswold,
Theodorsen, Robbie Hales, AnneMarie Monacino.
Uh I'm trying to think.
(05:31):
There's so many people.
Adam Chang, Paul Frampus was apiece of it, Jeff Barsuck.
I mean, just all these fabulouspeople that at the time I had
no idea how huge these peoplewere in contributing to the
simulation community and intoresearch and into kind of
practices that were going on.
Suzie Kardong Edgren, reallyjust like this fabulous list of
(05:51):
people that I was so naive thathere I am working with them.
I signed up to do the readinessreview thing where I got to
meet Tim Whitaker and LishRobinson and a bunch of other
folks.
And it just opened my eyes tothis whole community that was
out there.
And it started to get meinvolved with SSH.
I went to my first IMSH thatyear uh in New Orleans.
(06:13):
And as all of that was comingtogether, I thought this, I love
this thing.
I love volunteering, like I'mI'm here for it.
And so as I started kind ofpoking around, I am a natural
volunteer.
And so anytime somebody wouldask if there was someone who
could help out with X, Y, or Z,I would, I would say yes,
(06:37):
typically.
And I'd say 60% of the time mesaying yes meant anything.
Other times they'd be like,Yeah, yeah, yeah, guy, sit down.
But plenty of times it it ledto me being able to participate
in these things and get to knowall these fabulous people that
are part of our community.
And through that, then withinSSH, I was chair of the
(07:00):
hospital-based SIM programs.
I was on the internal relationscommittee.
I signed up for lots ofdifferent things, helping build
things.
I taught the readiness reviewcourse for years through a
couple of other affiliations.
I then was an item reviewer forthe CHSOS test and you know,
(07:21):
just really, really got to kindof touch all sorts of things, at
which point I decided to runfor the board.
And that year I ran just as anat-large director, and I thought
this looks like a great way toserve.
What an interesting thing.
I would love to do this.
And I ran and I lost.
I lost to Don Shokan, who is afabulous person to lose to.
(07:43):
But in that year, the upcomingyear was Haru Akuda's president
year, and he appointed me asmore or less a representative of
the operations committee uhcommunity to the board.
And so I got to join the board.
It was a one-year appointment.
And while I was there, I, youknow, I got to see how the
sausage was made, and I got tomeet people and see how our
(08:06):
board functions.
And it really got me excitedabout it.
And so the next year I ran,that time I ran for the
secretary of the board, which Ihad held previous secretary
positions in other boards andhad been part of other
communities in that sense.
So I ran and and I won thatyear.
So I had a two-year appointmentas secretary of the board and
(08:27):
then one year as an at-largedirector, just the way they make
sure people overlap and kind ofhave some continuity.
And at the beginning of myat-large year, I decided to run
for president.
And I ran, that was last year.
Uh I ran uh and I did not winagain, which was, you know, it
sort of hits you in the pride,but also great.
(08:48):
And for me as a person, I havealways been of the if I don't
get it the first time, it makesme like believe in it a little
bit more.
And I think, oh, theirprocesses are probably working
correctly.
And so this year I did runagain because I was I was still
on the board, so I had one moreopportunity to run this time.
Ran for the board and then andthen subsequently won.
(09:08):
So through that time on theboard, I've had the opportunity
to be the liaison to theeducation committee, the liaison
to the technology committee, tothe newly formed DEI committee,
or relatively newly formed.
I was part of the DEI taskforce that led into that, and
just really and and lately havebeen the uh the board member who
sits on the meetings oversightcommittee.
(09:30):
So really getting to see all ofthe different pieces and parts
of SSH and how it's run andmeeting all the people that are
contributing to that has beenjust a fabulous journey for
sure.
Deb Tauber (09:43):
Wow.
It's a lot of it's a lot ofservice.
Thank you.
But you do have a um anintricate view from being in all
those different roles.
Matt Charnetski (09:52):
Yeah, it's it's always a double-edged sword
for an organization to be verylarge, right?
We we want to be large, we wantto be larger, we want to serve
the community, we want to bepart of all these things.
And SSH is is certainly a largecommunity now.
You know, I I think right nowwe're at 5600, 5800 members,
something like that.
We've got quite a few members,and the conference has been
(10:15):
getting larger and larger everyyear.
Last year I want to say it was4400, something like that.
Quite a few people attendingthese things.
And as it gets larger, there'smore opportunities to serve, but
there's also more need, andthere's there's just more moving
pieces to the whole thing.
And as all of that comestogether, then it's a hardship
(10:37):
to steer, but also it has somuch ability to then be able to
serve the community, mentorpeople, build people up, and do
so many things because there'sso many people who have such
great ideas.
Deb Tauber (10:51):
And as you step into this role, what is your vision
for SSH over the next year,coming years?
Matt Charnetski (10:59):
Yeah, so the the president position is
interesting with SSH.
So we do a three-yearpresidency, but it's your first
year, you're president-elect.
So my president-elect yearstarts right after IMSH this
year, and then your one year aspresident, and then one year as
immediate past president.
And that just gives us someoverlap and some continuity and
all those sorts of things.
And so to that end, it's athree-year appointment, but it's
(11:22):
one year as president.
And for me, I I look at this assuch a great opportunity to be
a steward of an importantcommunity that has been built up
by all these fabulous people,uh, the members, but also the
past presidents and folks thathave really created something
(11:43):
special.
And so I think seeing myself asa steward of that and and kind
of maintaining the course thatwe're on.
But personally, the spot whereI feel like I want to focus my
efforts are predominantlysurrounding kind of inclusivity,
and particularly in the sensethat I think we have all these
(12:04):
opportunities for service and wehave this growing community,
but finding the pathwayssometimes are a little
difficult.
And I was really fortunate tostumble into a lot of great
opportunities or force my wayinto them, depending on who you
ask, I suppose.
Uh, but but making thoseopportunities more clear, more
obvious, and getting more peopleto the table so that we can
(12:27):
hear more voices from ourcommunity, so that we can be
truly representative of themembership that we have, part
one.
And then part two, we see allof these different organizations
around the world that are doingsuch great work and they're
contributing to this simulationcommunity that we are a part of.
And we happen to be large, butthat doesn't mean we're the only
(12:51):
ones doing great work.
And I want to really focus onbuilding those meaningful
relationships that we've builtso many over time, but looking
closely at them and helping usto connect with all those
different organizations inmeaningful ways, in productive
ways, and making sure that notonly is their voice heard and
(13:12):
the the things they're workingon are coming forward, but that
we're all contributing to thosethings together and they to us
uh in the same way.
Uh I think those things arereally important to me.
Deb Tauber (13:22):
Excellent.
Now, where do you see the nextbig leap happening in
simulation?
And how do you think SSH canhelp guide and shape that
innovation?
Matt Charnetski (13:32):
You know, it's a great question.
And I think immediately, ofcourse, I want to talk about
technology and that I don'tknow.
I don't know where the next bigleap in technology is.
But I think the place where wehave a really interesting
opportunity as a society, butalso just in sim, you know, the
next opportunity for us is inthe the efforts that are are
(13:56):
ongoing to formalize researchand to help us get to the point
where we are really collectingmore and more concrete data
about how sim can effectively beused, how we can produce the
outcomes that we need toresearch not just on simulation,
but also the research usingsimulation and connecting us in
(14:19):
a way that allows us to get pastthose level one and level two
responses where yes, thelearners enjoyed it and yes, the
learners learned something, butalso start stretching into the
space of this had a realconcrete effect on patient
outcomes.
And this is the appropriatedose of simulation, right?
(14:40):
Right now we know that there'svalue in it, but how much is too
much?
How much is too little?
Um, and so I think looking atthose sorts of things will be
important.
And then my hope, my mysincerest hope is that we keep
moving towards hollow decks andthings like that, where Star
Trek becomes reality and uh wecan get more and more immersive
simulation that is cheaper andcheaper.
(15:01):
I mean, that's that's my dream,but but I I really think the
increasing the evidence thatgoes behind how we use sim and
how sim is most effective is isgoing to be our next big leap.
Deb Tauber (15:14):
Yes, yeah.
I would agree, and I think uh Ithink you're on a good
trajectory to make some of thosethings happen, my friend.
Matt Charnetski (15:24):
Hopefully.
Hopefully.
Deb Tauber (15:26):
Now, SSH has always been about community, connecting
educators, clinicians,researchers, industry partners.
How do you plan to strengthenthe sense of collaboration?
Matt Charnetski (15:37):
Yeah, I think um for me personally, just
looking at how we can beststructure our relationships with
different organizations andalso how we can potentially
offer more of that intimatefeeling of previous conferences
and using more technology to beable to connect people.
(16:00):
As IMSH gets bigger and bigger,we often are hearing about how
people feel like they just getlost in the crowd or they can't
find the right sessions.
And a ton of work has been donein the last couple of years,
particularly to mitigate that,to help people connect with each
other, to help new people findtheir way, and also to create
communities within SSH thatallow folks to connect with
(16:22):
those that are important tothem.
And I think continuing thatwork and continuing to build on
those successes will be reallyimportant.
I also think we've had so manyreally wonderful relationships
with other organizations allaround the planet and continuing
that and continuing to growthat, but also taking it a step
(16:43):
further and saying, How do weserve you?
and how do you want to workwith us?
Where do you see ourinteraction to these different
affiliates to be able to make itso that everybody comes out
with something more concrete andit it builds that sense of
community and collaboration, notjust uh tacitly, but really
specifically and in concreteways.
Deb Tauber (17:04):
Okay.
And we constantly talk aboutmore mentorship and leadership
development.
What why don't you tell us alittle bit about some of the
initiatives?
I think I know some of them,but yeah.
Matt Charnetski (17:15):
I think the two the two biggest and most
exciting ones right now are theAscend program, which I
apologize.
I I don't recall the what theacronym actually stands for.
But it's it's really for earlycareer simulationists to have an
opportunity to connect withmore experienced simulationists
of all varieties, educators,research, operations folks,
(17:38):
subject matter experts, youknow, across the board, and give
them an opportunity to have afocused connection with those
folks to be able to build theircareer, find those niches where
they want to work, where theycan work, looking at how they
can grow professionally and kindof become what they want to
(18:01):
become as they go.
And then the other thing that'sout there that I think is
really important is the uh earlycareer research grant.
And that I believe in the lastcouple of years, we've increased
the total amount of money thatis available for that.
I believe it's it's there'smore awards, not a bigger award
necessarily.
And from those, I think there'sjust there's so many costs that
(18:26):
are associated with researchthat you know, we look at big
grants to fund major researchprojects, but even small
research projects come withoverhead.
And so for the society to besponsoring that, and also for
the research committee to beable to bring expertise to the
table and connect folks tomentors that can help them plan
(18:46):
their research project and pushthat forward, I think are both
really important initiatives.
I'm excited to see them as theygrow.
Ascend is new.
We just did our second yearapplications, the early research
grant, it has been around for alittle bit longer, but we're,
like I said, it's it's growingas part of the SSH fund.
And so we're hoping to see morein that realm too.
Deb Tauber (19:08):
Yeah, I'm part of the Ascend group, and so I can
speak to the organization of itthis year, it's excellent.
They've done, you know, somekickoff meetings, having two
mentors per mentee, which isreally, you know, that's gonna
be nice for the mentors as well.
I'm gonna have another workwith Philip Wortham as well as
David Farr.
Yep.
(19:28):
So with with our new uh Ascendpeople, but it's very organized,
and I think it it's definitelya way to work on development of
people in in simulation.
Matt Charnetski (19:41):
Yeah, yeah, that's exciting.
Thanks for doing that, and I'mexcited to see what comes out of
this year's cohort.
Deb Tauber (19:48):
Yeah, it's so organized though.
I I think Marie's doing a greatjob, and uh yeah, Andrew and
the whole group.
On a personal note, what keepsyour passion for simulation
alive?
Is there a personal story you'dlike to share that reminds you
of why this work really matters?
Matt Charnetski (20:06):
There's a lot of personal stories that remind
me why this work reallymatters.
To go as far back as possible,I think about the first time
that I recognized that teamworkand communication were something
really critical to health care.
And uh I mentioned before mymom was very ill growing up and
and through pretty much all ofher life.
(20:27):
And uh I was in high school andI got a call.
I was at at school and I got acall that they needed me to come
to the hospital.
My mom, my mom had been in thehospital for a few days.
It wasn't a surprise that shewas in the hospital, but they
needed me to come talk to herbecause the physician was having
a hard time getting through toher.
(20:47):
And I thought, that's weird, Idon't know what that's all
about.
And so I went to the hospitaland I walked in, and my mom was
just happily sitting thereeating, having a nice time, ill,
but that was not new.
And I said, What's going on?
She said, Well, the doctordoesn't want to talk to me.
And I said, What do you meanthe doctor doesn't want to talk
to you?
And she said, Well, I let himknow what I thought of him.
And I said, I don't, I, Idon't, I don't really know what
(21:10):
you mean by that.
And she said, I didn'tappreciate the way he was
talking to the nurses.
So I let him know that I didn'tthink very much of him.
Now, that's the abbreviatedversion of the story.
It went on from there.
But I think the take-home fromthat and from so many other
interactions that, you know, mydad was a lawyer, so he had lots
of interactions with thehospital there as well.
(21:31):
And I just so routinely saw howimportant communication was and
how much of a difference thatmade in patient care and the
relationship with patients forall healthcare professionals.
And then it goes on from there,you know, my career as a
paramedic and having theopportunity to have plenty of
interactions where I did not dothings well and didn't do things
(21:52):
the way I maybe could have.
And I think I was a prettydecent paramedic, but there's
just so much opportunity formore training and more learning
that all of those thingstogether obviously brought me to
the table.
And now what keeps mepassionate about it, well, what
originally got me passionateabout it was seeing those
(22:14):
moments where the learnersreally got to stretch their legs
and really something resonatedwith them, and all of a sudden
their healthcare career reallystarted to sort of generate
around that experience.
Now it's sort of one stepremoved, and now I feel that
same way, but now it's about thefolks I get to work with
through the MGH IHP master'sprogram, through people that I
(22:37):
get to work with throughdifferent mentoring programs, or
just people who reach out toask questions and seeing folks
that are as excited after aspecific interaction, a specific
experience about doing sim asthose learners were about doing
healthcare.
And so, you know, working withmy team now, uh, we've had a
(23:00):
chance to hire some new peoplerecently and getting to see
those folks also generate apassion for sim and get excited
about like the impact that wecan have is cool.
And it keeps me going back formore.
And so the three levels ofimpact that we have on our
staff, our learners, and theirfuture patients, that just gets
(23:21):
me all charged up for sure.
Deb Tauber (23:23):
Yeah.
And I'm sorry about your mom.
It had to be very challengingwhen you were growing up.
Matt Charnetski (23:29):
It was a thing.
It was definitely a thing.
Uh it was a very long, longstory and a much longer story
for her as well.
But uh, but yeah, thank you.
Deb Tauber (23:37):
Now, are there any final words that you'd like to
leave our listeners with on howwe can support you in your new
role specifically?
Matt Charnetski (23:45):
I I mean, I this community has been so
supportive to me over the yearsin so many different ways.
I hesitate to ask for more.
And I guess I'm looking for theways that I can support this
community.
My words to them are just or toanyone who's listening, I
guess, at this point, to justkeep doing what you're doing.
It is such impactful work, andthis community is so powerful,
(24:09):
not just professionally and notjust in healthcare.
Sim outside of healthcare, butalso amongst this community.
Most of my closest friends arein sim.
So many of the people that havebeen important to me
professionally and alsopersonally are in this
community.
So keep engaging and keepshowing up and keep building
those relationships.
And then tell me about it.
Come talk to me.
(24:29):
I'm I I like to think I'm apretty approachable person.
And if ever I have to shade myeyes and run away, it's probably
not personal.
I'm probably just told that Ihave to be somewhere a certain
time.
I have a lot of handlers, a lotof people that that have to
keep me on track.
So let me know and keep meposted on how everything's
going.
Deb Tauber (24:46):
Okay.
And if our listeners want toget a hold of you, where should
they get all of you?
Matt Charnetski (24:50):
LinkedIn is great.
My phone number is out there inthe world, so is my email.
Uh, I won't put it here just sothat we don't end up with
millions and millions of peoplewith that information.
But LinkedIn is a great waythrough the SSH website is also
a great way to get a hold of me.
There's a new messagingfunction in our website through
SimConnect.
So come find me.
And if there's anything I cando, please let me know.
Deb Tauber (25:13):
Well, I might have you in the meet with the new
dissimulation group.
Perfect.
I'd love to.
Right?
Yeah.
Matt Charnetski (25:20):
I'd love to.
Deb Tauber (25:21):
I'll put that out there as the chair this upcoming
year.
I I'm looking for ideas, andthat might be a real way to get
get the people fired up about itwhen they learn about your
journey.
Matt Charnetski (25:31):
That would be fantastic.
I I love meeting with folksthat are new to sim and people
who've been in sim that are justnew to me.
But uh yeah, happy to meet withanybody.
Deb Tauber (25:40):
Okay.
Thank you so much and happysimulating.
Matt Charnetski (25:45):
Thanks, Debbie.
Disclaimer/ EMS ad/ Intr (25:46):
Thanks to EMS for sponsoring this
week's episode of the Sim Cafe.
Go to EMS-works.com to checkout how they're advancing the
discipline of healthcaretraining through adaptive
technologies today.
Thanks for joining us here atThe Sim Cafe.
(26:10):
We hope you enjoyed.
Visit us at www.innovativesimsolutions.com.
And be sure to hit that likeand subscribe button so you
never miss an episode.
Innovative Sim Solutions isyour one stop shop for your
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