Clin Sim welcomes Meenakshi Chowdhury as new SimUAB simulation fellow

As SimUAB^®’s newest simulation fellow, Meenakshi Chowdhury is eager to learn from her fellow simulationists, while bringing a perspective all her own. She is spending time with both Clinical Simulation and the Office of Interprofessional Simulation (OIPS).

Chowdhury recently began her one-year fellowship and is focused on developing her skills as an educator, facilitator and leader, while learning how simulation can address clinical and system-level challenges.

A foreign-trained OB-GYN with clinical experience in both India and Canada, Chowdhury is an instructor in the UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. She said her experience managing medical emergencies and caring for critically ill patients helped spark her interest in anesthesiology and clinical simulation. 

“I am particularly drawn to simulation because it provides an opportunity to prepare for high-stakes clinical situations in a safe and controlled environment,” she said. 

During her fellowship, Chowdhury hopes to gain a deeper understanding of simulation education, including scenario design, debriefing, learner assessment and curriculum development. She is particularly interested in how scenarios are created, how teams are evaluated and how effective debriefing can transform a simulation experience into meaningful learning. 

She also sees simulation as an important link between education and clinical practice. Unlike traditional classroom instruction, simulation allows healthcare professionals to encounter realistic situations, make mistakes and receive feedback without placing patients at risk. 

“Additional to clinical knowledge, it helps to develop other skills, such as communication, teamwork, leadership, decision-making and managing unexpected situations,” Chowdhury said. 

That emphasis on teamwork also reflects what she hopes to gain from—and contribute to—her time at UAB. Chowdhury said she values the opportunity to work alongside professionals from a variety of disciplines and learn from the perspectives they bring to patient care. 

“I believe some of the most meaningful learning happens when people from different backgrounds come together, share their experiences and learn from one another,” she said. 

As she begins the fellowship, Chowdhury hopes her own clinical experiences in multiple healthcare environments will add another perspective to that exchange, while helping her grow as an educator and leader. 

“I am grateful for the opportunity to begin this one-year journey at UAB,” Chowdhury said. “I look forward to learning, contributing and growing alongside an outstanding Clinical Simulation team—and ultimately using what I learn to help make healthcare safer for both patients and the professionals who care for them.” 

More information about the SimUAB^® simulation fellowship is available here.

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.