U. of South Florida Adds Undergrad Concentration in Simulation Operations

To address a workforce shortage, the University of South Florida (USF) is launching the country’s first university-based undergraduate concentration in Health Care Simulation Operations.

USF notes that medical simulation has been widely adopted as a training tool across medical and nursing schools, hospitals and government agencies. By replicating real-world scenarios, simulation offers hands-on, technology-driven experiences that enable students and practitioners to refine their skills in a controlled environment.

Despite the field’s rapid growth — with the global healthcare simulation market projected to reach $17.4 billion by 2030 — no major research university has previously offered an undergraduate concentration specifically designed to prepare graduates for careers managing simulation technologies and programs.

Beginning this fall, USF’s new program fills this gap, offering a curriculum that blends healthcare science, information technology, engineering and instructional design. Graduates will gain expertise in the technical and operational aspects of simulation-based training, preparing them for roles in hospitals, academic institutions, clinical simulation centers, federal agencies, military installations and private industry.



Offered through the USF College of Public Health, in collaboration with the USF Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS) — one of the world’s largest free-standing healthcare simulation facilities — the concentration is part of USF’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program and provides a defined pathway for students into a high-demand field dedicated to improving healthcare quality and patient safety.

“There is a huge need for healthcare simulation workers, not just in higher education but also at hospitals, healthcare systems and the federal level, including the Department of Defense and Veterans Health Administration,” said Haru Okuda, M.D., executive director of USF CAMLS, in a statement. “As one of the largest simulation centers in the world, we recognized that we could be part of the solution by creating a program that develops graduates who can support and transform this field,” added Okuda, who is also andassociate vice president of interprofessional education and practice with USF Health.



“This concentration creates a pathway for our students to enter a career that directly impacts patient outcomes in health care,” said Melissa Milner, D.N.P., director of clinical simulation at USF CAMLS, in a statement. “We have already had a great response from our students involved in the pilot program, and now we are going to have a robust cohort of graduates with the skills to design, manage and deliver high-quality simulation experiences.”



The launch follows strong demand for USF’s first health simulation course introduced in 2023 and an internship pilot in 2024, which resulted in a 100% job placement rate for students pursuing careers in simulation operations upon graduation.

The new concentration includes five courses — four didactic courses covering topics such as simulation operations, center management, instructional technologies and theoretical foundations — along with a 120-hour internship with rotations across multiple simulation centers. The overall health sciences major includes foundational classes in public health to support skill development and content targeted for students interested in the wide array of health professions.