Barry Issenberg, MD, the Michael S. Gordon Endowed Chair of Medical Education and tenured Professor of Medicine, Senior Associate Dean for Research in Medical Education and Director of the Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education. Dr. Issenberg holds secondary appointments as Professor in the Department of Medical Education and in School of Nursing and Health Studies. Dr. Issenberg received his medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine and carried out his residency training in internal medicine from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His career has focused on the research, development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative training and evaluation systems.

Dr. Issenberg leads an international consortium of clinicians, educators and technical specialists that developed innovative training systems that are used at more than 2,200 institutions in nearly 70 countries. The longest standing example is Harvey, the Cardiopulmonary Patient Simulator, originally developed by Dr. Michael Gordon in 1966, and is now in its 11th generation training hundreds of thousands of learners each year. Research by Dr. Issenberg and colleagues have established the viability and importance of computer-based simulation and virtual patient training programs in teaching health professionals, especially cardiac and stroke assessment and treatment.

Dr. Issenberg has led several initiatives at the University of Miami integrating the use of new technologies for learning and assessment of students and faculty at all levels and has been a key member on the development and implementation of its new NextGen MD curriculum. He currently serves as the faculty lead for the Evaluation & Tracking Core of the University of Miami Clinical Translational Science Institute and serves as co-chair of the Academy of Medical Education Scholars.

Dr. Issenberg has authored or co-authored more than 200 publications and digital applications on the development, use and evaluation of innovative training systems in health sciences education. In 2003, Dr. Issenberg and is colleagues were invited to carry out a systematic literature review as part of the Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) Collaboration. He led a consortium of clinicians and educators on producing the first major review of healthcare simulation that synthesized the findings of more than 35 years of research from all disciplines. The result was a landmark publication in the field of healthcare simulation that identified the most important features for effective learning and has been recognized as the most cited article in healthcare simulation.

In addition, Dr. Issenberg has serves on several national and international boards and committees related to medical education and healthcare simulation, including the Association of American Medical Colleges and Association for Medical Education in Europe. He is currently immediate past-president of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, the largest international organization dedicated to the use of simulation to enhance training and patient care.

Ivette Motola is Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Assistant Director of the Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education and Director of the Prehospital and Emergency Healthcare Division (PEH) at the Gordon Center.

Dr. Motola joined the Gordon Center in 2007 and became the Director of Prehospital & Emergency Training Division in 2008. In this capacity, Dr. Motola develops curricula, instructional materials and assessment instruments for medical education of physicians, physician assistants, nurses, paramedics, and other allied health professionals. In the spirit of preparing the next generation of healthcare providers, Dr. Motola disseminates its education programs throughout Florida, the US and the world.

Dr. Motola has a special interest in developing curricula for prehospital and hospital-based emergency providers and the application of simulation to emergency medical education. Dr. Motola has served as PI or Co-PI on multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Florida Department of Health and several foundations. Her research interests include effective use of simulation and technology for skills acquisition and retention, team training, training for disaster response, and stroke education.

Ross Scalese is Professor of Medicine and Director of Educational Technology Development at the Gordon Center. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Scalese sits on the Executive Faculty Curriculum Steering Committee, directs the major competency assessment programs for first- and second-year students, and is a founding Fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators at the Miller School of Medicine. He is active clinically and as a teacher of medical students and residents, particularly in the areas of cardiology and clinical skills.

Dr. Scalese’s special interests and research focus on innovative uses of simulation for competency-based training and assessment. He has been an invited speaker at numerous international conferences and has directed many faculty development courses addressing topics related to simulation-based medical education. He has co-authored some of the most widely cited references in the field, including the Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) Collaboration systematic review on features of high-fidelity simulation that lead to effective learning.

Dr. Esterson is the Director of Cardiology Teaching Programs at the for the Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education with over 40 years of experience practicing and teaching clinical cardiology. He designs and implements major curricular innovations for the University of Miami medical school students, preparing them for life-long independent learning. A graduate of the University of Maryland School Medicine in 1969, Dr. Esterson enjoys teaching and has been repeatedly voted “best teacher” by UM’s medical school senior class.

Dr. Asit Misra has just joined the University of Miami’s Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education as an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine (Department of Surgery) and will serve as its Assistant Director of the Prehospital and Emergency Training Division. Prior to joining the Gordon Center, Dr. Misra was an Instructor of Emergency Medicine and a Research Scientist at the Interprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Dr. Misra graduated from the Tver State Medical University in 2003. He holds a Master’s Degree in Medical Education and Emergency Medicine. He has completed an American College of Surgeons Accredited Surgical Simulation Fellowship. Dr. Misra serves as an editorial board member, associate editor, and peer reviewer for several academic journals. He is also an Advisory Board member of the Core Curriculum & Education Committee for the International Federation of Emergency Medicine.

His areas of interest are healthcare simulation, disaster medicine, resuscitation, faculty development, and educational research. His research focus on demonstrating the outcomes and the impact of experiential learning, assessment, and program evaluation in simulation-based medical education.

Dr. Vivian Obeso received her medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Following residency, she pursued a fellowship in Research in Medical Education at the University of Miami Gordon Center, a Center of Excellence in Simulation, Innovation and Research in Medical Education where she further developed expertise in curriculum design, assessment, and simulation-based education. She subsequently served as Assistant Director of Clinical Skills Training, where she maintained an active role in clinical practice and teaching while advancing academic initiatives in simulation, curriculum development, and clinical assessment.

In 2008, through a unique collaboration between two South Florida medical schools, she became the lead consultant for the development and implementation of a comprehensive clinical skills training and assessment program at the new Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (FIU HWCOM), a newly established medical school. In 2011, she transitioned into institutional leadership roles as Assistant Dean for Curriculum and Medical Education and Director of the simulation center, later advancing to Associate Dean for Curriculum and Medical Education, where she oversaw curricular innovation and program development.

Dr. Obeso is an alumna of the Harvard Macy Institute and is invited annually to serve as faculty for the “Systems Approach to Assessment in Health Professions Education” program. She also served as a national representative in the Association of American Medical Colleges’ pilot initiative on the Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Entering Residency, contributing to scholarship, multi-institutional collaboration, and national recognition in competency-based medical education.

In 2022, she returned to the University of Miami, where she currently serves as Senior Director of Clinical Skills and Competency-Based Assessment and Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education.

Angel Brotons is the Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education’s Associate Director for Operations and Instructor Development in the Division of Prehospital & Emergency Healthcare. Mr. Brotons is the AHA training Center director for several municipalities. He continues to serve as a firefighter and paramedic and oversees the STEMI and Stroke program in Monroe County Fire Rescue, Marathon, and Islamorada Fire Rescue.

Jeffrey Groom, PhD, CRNA, FSSH is a seasoned educator, clinician, and consultant. Combining his diverse clinical background and doctorate in instructional technology focusing on simulation, Dr. Groom has utilized simulation-based instruction in educating healthcare professionals for over 40 years. Dr. Groom is an active and founding member of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, a Fellow in the Academy, serves as an Editorial Board member for the Journal for Simulation in Healthcare, serves on the SSH Finance and Audit Committee, serves as a SSH Accreditation Reviewer, and served as Co-Chair for the 2020 20th Anniversary International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare.

Dr. Groom has been a frequent invited speaker at numerous national and international venues on the topics of simulation education, assessment, and facility design. Most recently, he served as Co-Chair for the Simulation Committee for the National Board for Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists evaluating the state of high stakes simulation-based assessment. His research interests include investigating the role of medical simulation for improving patient safety and medical decision making under stress. He has served as a consultant and educator with the University of Miami, Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education for more than 30 years. He is one of the course co-authors of the international Improving Simulation Instructional Methods (iSIM) program. Dr. Groom also serves as the Director for Special Projects for the Simulation Hospital Advancing Research and Education and adjunct Professor of Clinical in the School of Nursing and Health Studies at the University of Miami. Dr. Groom is CEO of jagTEAM Consulting, LLC.

Samantha Syms is the Director of the Standardized Patient Program at the Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Ms. Syms is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) with a focus on standardized patient methodology and demonstrated experience in simulation operations, program administration, and program evaluation. She is also a doctoral student studying Adult Education/Human Resource Development and is interested in researching patient-centered communication and the integration of technology with human simulation.

Julia serves as the as Director of Financial and Strategic Management of the Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education and she is the Center Administrator. In these roles, she leads the Center’s financial and business operations while providing strategic direction across its administrative functions. She spearheads the development and execution of initiatives that strengthen organizational effectiveness, ensure financial sustainability, and drive the Center’s long-term growth and strategic objectives.

Mr. Rodriguez manages the distribution of Harvey, the Cardiopulmonary Patient Simulator, and the Gordon Center’s line of UMedic applications in medical education. Richard also acts as Research Assistant on studies carried out by the Center’s Division of Prehospital & Emergency Healthcare.

Julia serves as the as Director of Financial and Strategic Management of the Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education and she is the Center Administrator. In these roles, she leads the Center’s financial and business operations while providing strategic direction across its administrative functions. She spearheads the development and execution of initiatives that strengthen organizational effectiveness, ensure financial sustainability, and drive the Center’s long-term growth and strategic objectives.

As Senior Manager of Administrative Operations at the Gordon Center, Ms. Guzman contributes to the department’s financial oversight and operational efficiency to optimize resource allocation and achieve the Center’s goals. She collaborate closely with leadership to ensure fiscal integrity and operational effectiveness.

Michael Saco is an EMS Instructor and Simulation Technologist Coordinator. His duties include coordinating the simulation setup & experience for the center’s classes along with teaching.

is the Standardized Patient Educator for the SP Program within the Gordon Center. He has a background in psychology. He specializes in working with SPs to train them on their portrayals, the physical exam, and learner assessments. Nicholas also works as the quality assurance analyst for the program, striving to maintain and further develop SPs in every regard of the role. He seeks to uphold the Gordon Center’s mission of innovation in simulation and medical education.

Amanda Fernandez-Acosta is the Manager of the Simulated Patient Program at the Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She received her Bachelors in theatre performance for Florida State University, and brings over five years of experience in simulation-based education.
Amanda began her journey as a Simulated Patient at the University of Miami during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has grown alongside the program ever since. She has presented at international conferences on topics such as “Empowering Your SPs Through Professional Development,” “Commit to the Bit: An Acting Workshop,” “The Impact of SPs in Preparing Emergency Professionals for Advanced Life Support Medical Challenges,” “Breaking Bad News in the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Setting,” and “SPs Beyond Healthcare: Utilizing Simulated Parents (SPs) to Train Music Education Pre-Service Teachers,” among others.
From Simulated Patient to data coordinator, and now in her current role as manager, Amanda remains dedicated to the mission of improving lives through simulation education.

Mr. Coster is responsible for the construction and assembly of some of Harvey’s electronic components and provides technical support regarding Harvey and UMedic software in the lab and in the field. Tim works with the other engineers involved with the refinement and improvement of technology used in Harvey. Certifications: Electronics Engineering (BNC).

Mr. Zambrana is responsible for the manufacturing of actuators and fabrication of Harvey. He provides support for the Gordon Center’s Cardiology, Neurology, and PEH programs training operations. Mario has a Certification in Mechanical, Architectural Drafting.