In this episode of SimCast Tony and Lawrence are joined by Craig Dores, NHS Simulation Technician, former British Army Combat Medic, host of the SimTech Podcast and founder of the National Simulation Technician Awards,

Craig shares how a gap in the simulation podcast landscape led him to create a platform dedicated to the technician voice. The conversation explores professional identity, the evolving role of simulation technicians, the growth of a national community, and why “just the tech” is a phrase that needs retiring.

If you are involved in healthcare simulation, higher education, NHS workforce development, or technical simulation support, this episode offers insight into one of the most important and often under-recognised roles in our field.

Links 🔗

The SimTech Podcast - Hosted by Craig Dores

https://open.spotify.com/show/5URzrrB1udHmjyroSDWIrk?si=e84132ff9e364d66

Nominations form for the National Simulation Technician Awards (closes end of April 2026)

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=slTDN7CF9UeyIge0jXdO41-Rc9rlzghGs2SKWvYkKHZUNlYyRDdTSlJZWUY5RTZNNlIzS1I3WExOTi4u&route=shorturl

National Simulaiton Technician Symposium 2026

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6lBhic--G9cnXGWxckF4wuOJpHi-S5WM58TC9F-s-gHJJEg/viewform?pli=1

#SimCast #Simulation #Podcast #HigherEducation #clinicalsimulation

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome and guest introduction
03:00 – Why Craig created the SimTech Podcast
07:00 – The evolving identity of the simulation technician
12:00 – Diverse backgrounds and what makes a great SimTech
16:20 – National Simulation Technician Awards explained
21:00 – The SimTech Symposium and building community
26:00 – Podcasting, vulnerability and imposter syndrome
32:00 – Advice for starting a podcast
35:00 – Professionalisation, banding and future direction
39:00 – “Just the tech” and recognition of invisible work
45:00 – Final reflections and how to get involved

In this episode of SimCast, Lawrence Hill and Tony Jermy explore how simulation educators can use large language models to work smarter, not harder.

Rather than focusing on high-cost or bespoke AI simulation platforms, this conversation stays firmly grounded in the pragmatic, everyday use of tools such as ChatGPT and Copilot to support the realities of simulation faculty workloads. The discussion centres on “back-of-house” applications that reduce cognitive load, improve consistency, and free up time for what really matters: learners, facilitation, and quality improvement.

#SimCast #Simulation #Podcast #Healthcare #ClinicalSimulation #HigherEducation

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to SimCast and episode overview
01:07 – Why this episode exists: time pressure and simulation reality
02:07 – Using AI in simulation: beyond the obvious scenario writing
02:36 – From AI novelty to embedded daily practice
03:02 – ChatGPT vs Copilot: honest reflections and frustrations
04:03 – Apple Intelligence, branding brilliance, delivery… less so
04:25 – How our use of AI for scenario writing has evolved
05:08 – Why paying for AI matters: documents, memory, and projects
05:27 – Using projects and settings to tailor AI for simulation work
06:06 – Starting with a blank screen: AI as a scenario kick-starter
06:23 – The non-negotiable role of fact-checking and human judgement
06:47 – Designing simulations from learning outcomes backwards
07:32 – Standardising simulation documentation with AI templates
07:51 – AI for faculty-facing preparation and organisation
08:23 – AI as a personal assistant for busy simulation educators
09:06 – Preparing learners for high-stakes simulation assessments
09:47 – Scaling individualised rehearsal opportunities for students
10:33 – Accuracy, hallucinations, and student-facing risks
11:32 – Working smarter vs working ethically with AI
12:02 – Why human intelligence still matters
12:29 – Using AI to address gaps in confidence and capability
13:22 – Naïve vs sophisticated use of AI in education
13:43 – AI as an executive assistant, not a subject expert
14:11 – Learning how AI thinks by watching it fail
14:35 – Being polite to AI… and telling it when it gets it wrong
15:09 – When AI fails at “simple” tasks: counting numbers
16:00 – AI as the ultimate people-pleaser
16:42 – What’s next: creative and advanced uses of AI in simulation
17:00 – Final reflections and call to action

In this episode of SimCast, hosts Tony and Lawrence are joined by Jo Sullivan and Kelly Steele to explore neurodiversity in simulation-based education. The conversation examines how simulation design, facilitation and debriefing can unintentionally exclude neurodivergent learners and what educators can do to create more inclusive, psychologically safe learning environments.

Drawing on lived experience, clinical education and higher education practice, this episode unpacks common challenges such as sensory overload, performance anxiety, fidelity overload and rapid-fire debriefing. Jo and Kelly share practical, evidence-informed strategies including sensory-aware simulation design, inclusive assessment practices, alternative debrief contributions and the ethical limits of realism. This is an essential listen for simulation educators, practice educators, resuscitation trainers and anyone designing learning in high-pressure clinical environments. 

Key topics include neurodiversity in healthcare education, inclusive simulation design, reasonable adjustments in assessment, sensory processing, debriefing for neurodivergent learners, psychological safety, ALS and resuscitation training, and inclusive pedagogy in higher education and the NHS.

#SimCast #Podcast #Simulaiton #ClinicalSimulation #HigherEducation