Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety (MSc, PDipSc)

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Course Overview
Key Facts
Course Outline
Why Choose This Course?
Course Fees
Find Out More

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Course Overview

Both the Diploma and Masters' courses in Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety are on-line/distance learning courses designed to accommodate the busy healthcare provider or simulation centre team member. Healthcare simulation is the modern way to educate healthcare providers to achieve high performance and to improve patient safety. It encompasses manikin based training for teamworking, task trainers for procedural skills, simulated persons for communication skills and virtual /augmented reality.

By completing the Diploma, you will learn how to use simulation in your own practice to deliver better safer healthcare. You will also learn how to use healthcare simulation for quality improvement, systems and process testing and for facilities planning. By completing the Masters programme you will go on to understand how to use simulation for research and how it can support research.

If you are a healthcare provider, involved in healthcare education and research or have an interest in patient safety, then this course will be important for you. A qualification in Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety will help you to achieve your career goals in healthcare and simulation.

What makes this course unique ...

Fully distance learning designed to allow for flexible learing
Broad course content suitable for all healthcare professions, simulation staff and anyone interested in patient safety
The final thesis is prepared as a paper for publication and is supported by an experienced group of mentors with a track record in research in the simulation and patient safety space.

Scholarships available
Find out about our Postgraduate Scholarships here.

Applications and Selections

Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System.

Who Teaches this Course

Core Faculty

Professor Paul O’Connor. Director Irish Centre for Applied Patient Safety and Simulation Director Masters/Diploma in Simulation and Patient Safety at the University of Galway

Professor Dara Byrne. Professor of Simulation at the University of Galway, National Clinical Lead for Simulation

Dr. Angela O'Dea. Senior Lecturer in Patient Safety, Human Factors and Simulation, School of Medicine, University of Galway

Dr. Caoimhe Madden. Lecturer Above the Bar in Quality, Patient Safety and Simulation, School of Medicine, University of Galway

Adjunct Faculty

Ms. Sharon Cassidy Sharon Cassidy RN. Simulation Clinical Nurse Educator. Adjunct Lecturer, School of Medicine, University of Galway.

Mr. Philip Parackal RN. Simulation Clinical Nurse Educator. Adjunct Lecturer, School of Medicine, University of Galway.

Dr. Caroline Richardson. Associate Dean of Postgraduate Medical Education and Training at Letterkenny University Hospital, Adjunct Lecturer, School of Medicine, University of Galway.

Requirements and Assessment

Postgraduate Diploma Science Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety

An honours Bachelor degree at NFQ Level 8
Demonstrated interest in simulation
Demonstrated proficiency in English - English competency IELTS score of 6.5 or similar
Previous experience or academic qualification

Masters of Science Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety

An honours Bachelor degree at NFQ Level 8
Demonstrated interest in simulation
Demonstrated proficiency in English- English competency IELTS score of 6.5 or similar
Previous experience or academic qualification

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

An honours bachelor degree at NFQ Level 8 in a relevant healthcare discipline (e.g., medicine, nursing, speech and language therapy, pharmacy), although applicants with evidence of at least three years’ equivalent professional/academic experience will be considered (e.g., emergency medicine technicians, simulation technicians).
A demonstrated proficiency in English.
Previous experience, or an academic qualification, in the education and teaching of healthcare professionals.
A demonstrated interest in simulation.

Additional Requirements

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Duration

MSc—24 months; PDipSc—12 months

Next start date

September 2025. Please note places are limited and will be assessed and awarded on merit.

A Level Grades ()

Average intake

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date

Please view the offer rounds website.

NFQ level

Mode of study

Distance Learning

ECTS weighting

MSc—120 ECTS; PDipSc—60 ECTS

Award

CAO

Course code

MSC-HSP; PGD-HSP

Course Outline

Both the Diploma and the Masters are online/distance learning courses supported by two intensive immersive face-to-face two-day simulation based education workshops in The Irish Centre for Applied Patient Safety and Simulation in University Hospital Galway, Galway, Ireland

PDip Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety

The course will be delivered in six sequential modules during the academic year.

Module 1. An introduction to simulation and training in healthcare.
Module 2. Simulation with manikin and task based trainers.
Module 3. Standardised patients, virtual patients, and hybrid simulation.
Module 4. Running an effective simulation-based education programme.
Module 5. Human factors and patient safety in simulation.
Module 6. Uses of medical and healthcare simulation beyond education

The course will be assessed through:

Participation in online discussions with instructors and students; and
Completion of practically-focused assignments (both written and online narrated presentations).

MSc Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety

Modules 1 to 6 will be delivered during the first academic year. Modules 7 and 8 will be delivered during the second academic year of study.
Module 1. An introduction to simulation and training in healthcare.
Module 2. Simulation with manikin and task based trainers.
Module 3. Standardised patients, virtual patients, and hybrid simulation.
Module 4. Running an effective simulation-based education programme.
Module 5. Human factors and patient safety in simulation.
Module 6. Uses of medical and healthcare simulation beyond education
Module 7. Research Methods for Medical and Healthcare Simulation.
Module 8. Research Thesis.

The course will be assessed through:

Participation in online discussions with instructors and students;
Completion of practically-focused assignments (both written and online narrated presentations); and
Completion of a simulation focused research project to be submitted in the format of a journal article.

Module details for MSc Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety
Module details for PDipSc Healthcare Simulation and Patient Safety

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

The main goal of the course is to develop expertise in design and implementation of healthcare simulation. This will allow you to become a leader in education and open up opportunities in senior academic posts within healthcare. For those with an interest in patient safety, you will gain expertise in human factors and how healthcare processes can be improved. If running a simulation centre, you will develop skills in stakeholder engagement and demonstrating a return on investment allowing you to progress to senior management positions within organisations.

Who’s Suited to This Course

If you are a doctor, nurse, allied health professional (e.g. speech and language, pharmacy, physiotherapy), paramedic or dentist and have an interest in simulation technology, you should consider applying for one of our simulation courses. If you work in a simulation centre as a technician, manager or director and are keen to develop your expertise and progress your career then you should consider applying for a course.

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€5,990 p.a. (including levy) 2025/26

Fees: Tuition

€5,850 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Non EU

€9,750 p.a. (€9,890 p.a. including levy) 2025/26

Post Graduate Diploma: EU €5,990 (including levy) ; Non EU: €9,890 (including levy) 2025/26

For 25/26 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing years fees.

Postgraduate students in receipt of a SUSI grant – please note an F4 grant is where SUSI will pay €4,000 towards your tuition (2025/26). You will be liable for the remainder of the total fee. A P1 grant is where SUSI will pay tuition up to a maximum of €6,270. SUSI will not cover the student levy of €140.

Find out More

Dr Paul O’Connor
T: +353 91 492 897
E: paul.oconnor@universityofgalway.ie

Professor Dara Byrne
T: +353 91 493 659
E: dara.byrne@universityofgalway.ie

Sylvia McDonagh, Administrator
E: sylvia.mcdonagh@universityofgalway.ie

www.simulationmasters.com/

Ms. Linda Ní Chianáin | University Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, NUIG

An excellent inter-disciplinary course that I would recommend to any healthcare professional. It challenges your critical, analytical and creative side from examining current practice, developing scenarios to testing and modifying simulators. The course can provide you with the necessary skills and credibility to develop nursing and midwifery simulation further at clinical, undergraduate and postgraduate level thus enhancing patient safety.

Scott Mullin | Paramedic Program Coordinator, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

The program offers relevant skills from knowledgeable and experienced simulation champions! Simulation has been a vital educational tool in my career and the NUI Galway Masters of Science Healthcare Simulation and Patient safety programme has enhanced my ability to teach students more effectively! The ability to learn with students from various medical professions was extremely useful, an invaluable experience!

Kiren Reddy | Specialist registrar in anaesthesia, Ireland.

This course has encouraged me to re-evaluate how we deliver medical education and how we provide care to our patients. It has given me the tools to effect positive change in my workplace.