image: Haru Okuda, MD, executive director of USF CAMLS and associate vice president of interprofessional education and practice with USF Health.
Credit: USF Health
- USF launches what’s believed to be the world’s first university-based undergraduate concentration in health care simulation operations, preparing students for a rapidly growing, high-impact field.
- The program responds to urgent workforce needs in hospitals, academic centers and federal agencies, including the VA and Department of Defense.
- With hands-on training and a 100% job placement rate from its pilot, the program positions graduates at the forefront of health care innovation and safety.
TAMPA, Fla. (Aug. 6, 2025) – The University of South Florida is launching what is believed to be the world’s first university-based undergraduate concentration in Health Care Simulation Operations — a rapidly growing discipline aimed at advancing patient safety and care quality using cutting-edge simulation technologies.
Beginning this fall, the new program will help address a workforce shortage while further establishing USF as a global leader in simulation-based health care education.
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 health care 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 health care quality and patient safety.
“There is a huge need for health care simulation workers, not just in higher education but also at hospitals, health care systems and the federal level, including the Department of Defense and Veterans Health Administration,” said Haru Okuda, MD, executive director of USF CAMLS and associate vice president of interprofessional education and practice with USF Health. “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.”
Medical simulation plays a critical role in training future health care providers and has been widely adopted 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 — ultimately leading to better-prepared clinicians and safer, more effective patient care.
Despite the field’s rapid growth — with the global health care 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.
USF’s pioneering new program fills this gap, offering a unique curriculum that blends health care 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.
“This concentration creates a pathway for our students to enter a career that directly impacts patient outcomes in health care,” said Melissa Milner, DNP, director of clinical simulation at USF CAMLS. “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 a highly successful 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.
William Brandt, a fourth-year undergraduate student at USF, was among the first to enroll in the pilot simulation course and internship, leading to a part-time position with CAMLS as a simulation operations assistant. He plans to pursue a long-term career in the field and will continue his studies through the new concentration this fall.
“This is giving me a great experience and a place where I hopefully will work when I graduate,” Brandt said. “I’m learning technical skills and working in an environment where I can see the impact of what I do. This program is opening doors for students like me to enter an exciting field where we can make a real difference in health care.”
The new program underscores USF’s commitment to aligning academic offerings with strong workforce demand. Other examples include cybersecurity, education, nursing and supply chain — fields that offer students valuable hands-on learning and curricula tailored to industry needs, maximizing their career readiness at graduation.
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About the University of South Florida
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the top medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.