Preparing for simulation: Before participants enter the simulation room, they receive some general information about the incident that has taken place, but no pertaining details are revealed. This way the soldiers have at least an idea what to expect at the other side of the door.

Instructor role: The scenarios are supervised by instructors who pay close attention to the soldiers’ performance and provide support and guidance along the way. Instructors will also challenge the trainees if they consider doing so will enhance the learning outcome. Effective simulation training relies on the instructor’s competence, his/her experience, and ability to develop scenarios. ''As each simulation scenario is tailored to the various groups and different categories of people who require medical training, we carefully consider the participants’ professional background, whether they have participated in out of country operations, or perhaps been engaged in special assignments when we design the scenarios'', explains the coordinator.

Flexibility: The Army Medical Service Course Center (FSAN) uses the ALS (Advanced Life Support) simulator and the SimMan manikin for training. ''It’s great that FSAN has been investing resources into the medical training here at Sessvollmoen. Now, we can bring out the manikin to maintain what we have learned and teach others as well," says course participant and Lieutenant Hanne Gjøs, platoon leader for the Army Medical Service HMKG. "When you get to know the menu, it’s amazing to see all the different options you have with a manikin like this."

The manikin responds: ''The main difference between training with live people and training with manikins is that with the manikins you may perform actual procedures; like inserting thorax tubes, perform decompression and intubation. You may palpate the manikin’s pulse and observe chest rise during respiration. The instructors ensure that vitals appearing on the monitor correspond with the concurrent treatment provided by the trainees. This arrangement helps the trainees evaluate and reevaluate the "patient’s" clinical condition and learn to respond in a safe and efficient manner.

Looking ahead. Today’s young people use information and communication technology in new and different ways than just a decade ago. Our challenge is to keep up so that we can meet the future with timely educational methods," concludes Coordinator Lotta Lyden.