ASTEC's David Biffar becomes a fellow of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare

David Biffar, MS, CHSOS-A, FSSH, director of operations of the Arizona Simulation Technology & Education Center at the University of Arizona Health Sciences, was named a fellow of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

Biffar has worked in the field of health care simulation for 16 years. Since joining ASTEC, Biffar has helped the space grow from a 450 sq. ft. lab to a super-sized 35,000 sq. ft. center occupying the entire seventh floor of the Health Sciences Innovation Building. He is a recognized leader in health care simulation and in 2021 was one of the first recipients worldwide to become a Certified Healthcare Simulation Operations Specialist- Advanced. That same year, he was also named editor-in-chief of the electronic journal, Simulation Technology Operations & Resource Magazine.

“ASTEC’s team continues to be nationally recognized for its excellence,” said Allan Hamilton, MD, FACS, ASTEC’s executive director. “David Biffar has been recognized as a fellow of the SSH for his historical impact on health care simulation, and all of us at ASTEC are pleased to see our team member receive the recognition he so richly deserves.”

Biffar has more than 20 publications, has created more than 40 novel models for use in simulation training, and is a widely requested public speaker. Becoming a SSH fellow is the most recent step in Biffar’s continued growth in and impact on the world of health care simulation.

Simulation plays an important role in the education of students and acting health care practitioners, empowering learners through the practice of foundational skills as well as those encountered in high acuity, low frequency medical emergencies. By creating a safe environment in which to make mistakes, simulation empowers learners to develop and maintain the abilities needed to provide the best possible care to patients.

The Society for Simulation in Healthcare honors fellows annually based on their substantive, continuous impact on the field of health care simulation. SSH fellows are leaders and innovators in simulation, shaping the direction and future of the discipline. They serve as role models and mentors to anyone involved in the art and science of health care simulation