Community Activity

USF Health, Tampa Bay Wave accelerator program earns Urban Excellence Award

The Tampa Bay Wave-USF Health CAMLS Health Tech|X Accelerator program earned top honors at the 2024 Tampa Downtown Partnership’s Urban Excellence Awards ceremony held Feb. 21, placing first in the Private Sector Project Award category. 

The HealthTech|X Accelerator program is a collaboration between the USF and Tampa Bay Wave, a non-profit accelerator for high-growth startups. It is a mentorship-driven program run over a fixed period, and are designed to provide Tampa-based startups with essential resources that help entrepreneurs make rapid progress on business, product, and customer development. 

AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference

Our team had the pleasure of attending the 2024 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, February 11-14 in Orlando. The conference gathered more than 1,000 rural health leaders committed to advancing rural health and providing quality care for patients and communities.

CAMLS Executive Director, Haru Okuda, delivered a presentation on Mass Violence Incidents (MVI) and Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI): Use of Simulation Training to Enhance Preparedness & Response Capabilities with Elisa Arespacochaga, Vice President, Clinical Affairs and Workforce, American Hospital Association and Steven A. Vix, MD.

Cristo Ray High School Career Showcase

Laura Frost, Asst. Director of Business Development, participated at the Cristo Rey High School Career Showcase Event in February. She was joined by other volunteers from the Leadership Tampa Alumni Association to share insights and career experiences. The showcase activity included 17 rotations of 200+ students. She shared simulation action photos, the new CAMLS brochure and her career path from Disney tour guide and hospitality to healthcare education. 

CAMLS Research

In February, USF was awarded a $147,000 matching grant from the Florida High Tech Corridor led by Principal Investigator Shannon Bailey. The grant allows us to expand our research efforts to advance immersive technology for distance healthcare simulation. With the award from the Corridor, we're able to support students, faculty, and simulation staff on this collaborative research effort. 

CAMLS Senior Human Factors Scientist, Dr. Shannon Bailey, and Executive Director, Dr. Haru Okuda, presented at the International Virtual Reality Healthcare Association - 8th Annual Global Summit on “Practical Strategies and Ethical Reflections on Virtual Reality Adoption in Medical Education.”

Dr. Haru Okuda moderated two panels at the Global and National Security Institute (GNSI) Tampa Summit 3, Medical Integration of Artificial Intelligence at the University of South Florida.

Dr. Shannon Bailey will be speaking at the 13th Annual International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare March 24-27 in Chicago. She is presenting an invited talk and will be participating on two panels:

• Bailey, S. K. T. (accepted). Human factors considerations for extended reality in healthcare simulation training. To be presented at the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Health Care Symposium, Chicago, IL.
• Bailey, S. K. T., Hughes, A.M., Dong, Y., Robertson, J.M., & Ray, J.M. (accepted). Integrating human factors to enhance healthcare distance simulation. To be presented at the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Health Care Symposium, Chicago, IL.
• Ahmed, R., Doos, D., Wong, A., Hughes, A., Calhoun, A., Cassara, M., Ray., J., & Bailey, S. (accepted). Human factors role in medial simulation and the need for further collaborative research. Panel to be presented at the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Health Care Symposium, Chicago, IL.

We're happy to share our recent publication in Medical Teacher examining the impact of Extended Reality (XR) technology on distance healthcare simulation. Thank you to the Morsani College of Medicine students who supported the CAMLS research team on this project!

• Bailey, S. K. T., Brannick, M. T., Reiner, C. C., Rettig, N., Dyer, L. M.*, Okuda, Y., Llerena, L. E., & McKenna, R. T. (2024). Immersive distance simulation: Exploring the educational impact of stereoscopic extended reality (XR) video in remote learning environments. Medical Teacher.

International Collaboration

CAMLS recently had the honor of welcoming a distinguished delegation from Canada, comprised of leaders in government and business sectors. This visit was a part of the 2024 Florida Trade Mission organized by the Canada Florida Chamber of Commerce. The delegation, consisting of approximately 30 members, embarked on a journey across the State of Florida to explore collaborative opportunities and innovations in healthcare education and technology.

During their visit, the delegation received a comprehensive tour of our facilities, gaining insight into the advanced services and support CAMLS offers. This engagement provided an invaluable platform for Canadian entities considering entry into the US healthcare market, showcasing how simulation technology serves as a cornerstone for healthcare education, device testing, and validation.

Furthermore, the visit facilitated meaningful discussions with Mayor Jane Castor and featured presentations from eminent organizations such as Tampa Bay Wave, Tampa Bay Economic Development Council (EDC), and USF World, highlighting the collaborative spirit and opportunities within the Tampa Bay area.

In another significant event, CAMLS was privileged to host Dr. Kazuhiro Yoshida, President of Gifu University, along with twelve esteemed faculty members. Our joint endeavors with Gifu University underscore a mutual dedication to enriching healthcare education, research, and the provision of rural care, through shared knowledge and collaborative efforts.



These international engagements are testament to CAMLS' role as a global leader in medical learning and simulation, and our ongoing commitment to fostering international partnerships that advance healthcare education and innovation.

Team Member Spotlight: Kiara Berrios

We are delighted to announce the addition of Kiara Miranda Berrios to our Business Development team in the role of International Business Development/Conference and Event Planner.

As part of our ongoing efforts to extend CAMLS' global reach, Kiara is instrumental in introducing our international clientele to the comprehensive range of solutions CAMLS offers to meet their bioskills and simulation learning requirements. Her work is particularly focused on Latin America, a region experiencing a significant demand for advancements in healthcare delivery.

Kiara's proficiency in Spanish greatly enhances our team's capability to communicate effectively with our Spanish-speaking clients, ensuring a seamless exchange of information regarding our services. Kiara reflects on her position, stating, "The integration of my hospitality and customer service background into my current role contributes significantly to CAMLS’ mission of advancing healthcare education in our community and around the globe."

Kiara is a proud alumnus of the University of Central Florida Rosen College, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management. Prior to joining CAMLS, she served as the Sales & Catering Coordinator at the Barrymore Hotel, Tampa Riverwalk.

We look forward to the innovative contributions Kiara will bring to CAMLS, enhancing our ability to meet the diverse needs of our international clients in healthcare education.