When emergency medicine physician Dr Darsim Haji began working at FrankstonHospital's emergency department, it was under the leadership of the late Associate Professor Jeff Wassertheil. Dr Haji was encouraged to start a simulation centre for Peninsula Health.

 ``Jeff was a leading emergency medicine doctor and educator and always sought to contribute to the learning of young and emerging health professionals,'' says Dr Haji. ``He was committed towards providing simulation sessions for interns, and as director of clinical training I was part of his team in making this vision a reality.''

 Securing finance at the time was the challenge as Sim Centres are seen to be an adjunct, not a necessity or replacement.

 With great persistence, the medical team convinced the health service of the need for an inhouse simulation centre as a superior manikin had been bought _ but where do you put such a delicate creature?

``In order to use it properly, you need at least three rooms and finding space was an issue,'' says Dr Haji. ``Eventually we found a perfect area in the former storage and office space of the Mt Eliza Centre.

``Monash Medical Centre was the first in Victoria with a Simulation Centre and we adopted a similar model, with conduits into the control room, set up lighting and audiovisual which makes it more realistic. The whole hospital uses the Sim Centre _ it's all about multidisciplinary training because in real life we all work together.''

 Dr Haji has moved on from being director of clinical training but still uses the Sim Centre in his role as an emergency physician because that is where decisions have to be made quickly and procedures carried out accurately.

``It teaches teams of health professionals communication in terms of leadership and `followship','' he says.  ``It is extremely important for teaching international medical graduates how Australian doctors communicate with patients and each other _ body language, listening skills. ``IMGs find the Sim Centre most helpful in understanding the local medical culture and therefore they can provide best practice for their patients.''

 Since `Simon' arrived at Peninsula Health he has been upgraded with new software and there has been a new arrival, Sim baby, who needs different levels of care in an emergency department.