How interprofessional simulation supports medical students’ transition to clinical practice

In this article, we speak with Dr Libby Thomas about her recently published study in Advances in Simulation, which explores how interprofessional simulation can support medical students’ transition into clinical practice.

Bringing together final-year medical, nursing, and midwifery students in immersive simulation, the study tackles a question many healthcare educators face but rarely have time to examine closely: when interprofessional simulation is complex, costly, and difficult to coordinate, what does it actually offer learners at this critical point in their training?

Rather than focusing on short-term satisfaction, the research looks closely at students lived experiences—how realism, responsibility, teamwork, and moments of observation shape how they feel, act, and see themselves as emerging professionals.

In the interview, Libby reflects on why these experiences matter, what often goes unnoticed in traditional curricula, and how learning that is difficult to measure can still have lasting impact as students move into clinical practice.