Your Path to Real-World Medical Readiness
At Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences’ Simulation Center, you’ll gain unparalleled hands-on experience that prepares you for success from day one. Engage in dynamic clinical scenarios, learn essential procedures and develop critical humanistic skills while applying evidence-based practices in diagnostics, examinations and treatment — all before caring for real patients.
Our simulation center is among the best in the nation. It achieved full accreditation in core and teaching/education areas from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare in December 2024. Out of approximately 1,090 simulation centers listed in the SSH directory, fewer than 300 have earned this prestigious recognition — and DMU is one of only five osteopathic campuses to achieve it.
Hit the ground running in your medical career. Gain the skills, experience and competitive edge you need at DMU.
Master Clinical Skills in a World-Class Environment
DMU’s state-of-the-art simulation center spans approximately 24,000 square feet and includes a range of specialized training environments.
Enhance your diagnostic, clinical and patient care skills with medical manikins, standardized patients and advanced technology. Guided by expert faculty and simulationists, our training emphasizes triage, bedside care, problem-solving, communication and leadership in a team-based setting.
Next-Level Experience for Future Providers
DMU gives you opportunities to practice outside the classroom with unique features like our telehealth training center, giving you hands-on experience that goes beyond standard video conferencing to mimic real-world remote health care delivery.
We also integrate VR/AR technology to create dynamic, responsive scenarios that enhance the realism of learning. With tech-enabled VR/AR training, you’ll sharpen essential diagnostic and procedural skills for today’s fast-evolving health care landscape.
Comprehensive Basic Life Support Program
DMU’s Basic Life Support program uses HeartCode® BLS to train and assess essential skills for health care providers. This interactive, self-directed course fulfills American Heart Association requirements, offering real-time feedback on compressions and ventilations through debriefing technology. To complete the program, students finish an online cognitive module and demonstrate skills on a manikin.
Each year, students in DMU’s clinical programs apply BLS skills in mock-code team simulations. The on-campus BLS facility includes two HeartCode rooms with five training stations each and a simulation room for team-based mock-code practice, preparing students for real-world applications.
“From the technology to the staff, DMU’s Simulation Center is a place where I can practice excellence. I have enjoyed the many opportunities in the sim center where I could translate knowledge from the classroom into “real-life” practice. I have consistently been met with a welcoming environment to learn both at the individual level and in team settings. Every time I enter the sim center I know that I will leave better prepared to serve my future patients.”
Chayston Barger Brown, D.O.’27
At the Core of DMU’s Clinical Curriculum
The Simulation Center is a vital part of the curriculum for DMU’s clinical programs, including osteopathic medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy, podiatric medicine and occupational therapy. You’ll sharpen your skills while learning to collaborate effectively within a health care team, mirroring real-world scenarios.
Shape the Next Generation of Health Care Professionals
At DMU, you can play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of health care professionals. As a standardized patient, you’ll help medical students build essential clinical skills by portraying real-life patient scenarios in a safe, supportive environment. You’ll provide valuable feedback from a patient’s perspective and contribute to the growth of future health care providers.
Plus, enjoy flexible work schedules, competitive pay and the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the field of medicine.
Our Mission
The DMU Simulation Center aims to improve patient safety and outcomes in our global community through health care simulation education and prepare diverse groups of highly competent, compassionate and culturally responsive health professionals.