Mobile Sim’s New Ride

After logging nearly 20,000 miles across Alabama, UAB Mobile Simulation is shifting gears—trading its iconic mobile RV lab for a new, streamlined vehicle designed to support the growing program. 

The new Mobile Simulation Lab—a 2024 Ford Transit Passenger Van—is already redefining how the team delivers hands-on, immersive training to hospitals across the state. 

While the former 38-foot mobile lab served an important role during the program’s early years, it became increasingly unreliable over time, according to mobile simulation coordinator Mercedees Willis. 

“Although our previous vehicle technically still ran, we experienced multiple mechanical issues and unexpected failures, often occurring on the way to or from simulations, which created a growing safety concern for our team,” Willis explained. 

Because Mobile Simulation focuses on training teams in their own clinical environments using their own equipment, the vehicle itself doesn’t function as a classroom—it functions as a workhorse. 

“Our model is to meet teams where they are,” Willis said. “The vehicle doesn’t need to be a training space. It simply needs to be dependable, safe and efficient for transporting our equipment.” 

And the new van delivers just that—and more. 

“The new Ford Transit gives us flexibility we didn’t have before,” Willis said. “We can staff simulations more fully, travel more safely and create the kind of immersive, learner-centered experiences that hospitals tell us make the biggest impact.” 

The vehicle’s design has also improved daily operations behind the scenes. 

“The increased reliability alone lifts a major weight off our team,” Willis said. “The interior layout is more efficient, loading and unloading takes far less time, and the easier handling means more staff can confidently get behind the wheel.” 

Although smaller than the RV, the Transit is far more purpose-built for how the program actually operates, Willis added. 

“The RV offered space, but not always in ways that supported our work,” she said. “This new design is streamlined and intentional, allowing us to secure equipment safely and move with far less logistical complexity.” 

For Willis, the new van represents both progress and momentum. 

“What I enjoy most is what the van represents,” she said. “It reflects how far Mobile Simulation has come and the direction we’re continuing to move—becoming more efficient, more responsive and more accessible to the teams we serve.” 

In short, Mobile Simulation’s mission hasn’t changed—only the wheels have. 

UAB Medicine’s Clinical Simulation program offers opportunities for individuals and teams across UAB Medicine and beyond to practice before they deliver care. We encourage all who provide and support patient care to “Sim First.” Together, we can put our patients’ safety first.