Prosperous simulation under an institution's threadbare financial blanket

Most simulation centers based within an academic institution will be a not-for-profit entity and rely on educational or charitable funding for establishment and daily operations. Operating a center is an expensive business due to the cost of the clinical equipment, the simulation technology, the staff and faculty time and expertise, and the important demand on faculty time to facilitate sessions because of the relatively low student to staff ratio required. Breaking even in financial terms is a challenge that many of us are constantly struggling with. One of the key principles to minimize cost is good information, and most of that can be obtained through effective communication. In all fields and professions, good networking skills can prove to be a rewarding activity. Whether you are in need of a piece of information or require help, having established links with a range of people in your field or other related fields is a useful asset. For a little investment, directly visiting other simulation colleagues in their work environment is an even better way to understand the context in which they operate and how they manage and organize the activities of their center in general. It is very likely that somewhere someone else will have faced and solved the problems you may have now. This may include how to obtain educational funding to produce projects, how to reduce resources consumed in specific scenarios, and inexpensively prepare the appropriate props so it can be realistic enough to not confuse the trainees.