Building Accessible Simulation for All: The SIMAI Health Model

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George is joined by Dr. Mohamed Benfatah, a healthcare simulation researcher and the founder of SIM AI Health, an innovative initiative based in Morocco. Dr. Benfatah is pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence with simulation to transform health care education particularly in resource-limited settings.From nurse anesthetist to simulation educator, Dr. Benfatah shares how simulation reveals the invisible forces in health care, team dynamics, decision-making and communication as well as why it's critical for improving patient safety. He outlines his three core reasons simulation works: turning knowledge into action, engaging emotional memory, and creating reflective learning.The conversation explores:The unique challenges of scaling simulation training across Africa and the Francophone worldHow AI is being used to personalize training, generate realistic scenarios, and support clinical reasoningWhy he sees AI not as a replacement, but as an assistant to human judgmentHis approach to modular, accessible, and locally tailored simulation modelsWhat excites him most about the future of AI, simulation, and extended reality in healthcare educationWhether you’re a simulation specialist or new to AI, Dr. Benfatah’s global perspective offers fresh insight into how technology and heart can work hand-in-hand to make simulation more equitable and impactful around the world.About:NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – VisitThis series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca