An Innovative Way to Think about Simulation Laboratory Core Administrative Functions: Comparing Managing a Simulation Laboratory to a Restaurant

There are some aspects about operating a simulation facility that are simple and some that are complex. One might compare operating a simulation program to operating a restaurant. It is unlike any other educational endeavor that most academicians have ever ventured into. In fact, it is quite entrepreneurial. Typically, academicians do not manage brands or negotiate the sale of educational products and services. Clinical teaching techniques classically do not include using reality simulation, let alone constructing real educational programs on a foundation of synthetic patients. Persuading teachers to utilize a different methodology requires a business-like approach to behavior modification. It takes an individual with a keen business sense to lead and manage a successful clinical simulation enterprise. This chapter provides insights into the core administrative functions of a simulation program and to describe features that may need to be customized to fit an individual laboratory.