{"id":8681,"date":"2023-10-20T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/dighr\/?p=8681"},"modified":"2025-07-24T11:44:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T15:44:12","slug":"2023-world-health-assembly-simulation-highlights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/dighr\/2023-world-health-assembly-simulation-highlights\/","title":{"rendered":"2023 World Health Assembly Simulation Highlights Importance of Experiential Education"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Originally published by YFile<\/em> (19 October 2023<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Elaine Smith <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students from 快播视频\u2019s Faculty of Health will once again have the opportunity to engage in a World Health Assembly (WHA) simulation: a chance to experience first-hand how global health policymakers at the World Health Organization (WHO) make decisions.<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Adrian Viens<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Ahmad Firas Khalid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Dr. Ahmad Firas Khalid<\/strong>, a physician and assistant professor at the School of Global Health, created the simulation<\/a> and ran it to great acclaim for 100 students last May in partnership with Associate Professor Adrian Viens<\/strong>, director of the School of Global Health. As a result, they have slated the second annual WHA simulation for May 1 to 3, 2024, with the theme of One Health.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The simulation provides students with an experiential education (EE) opportunity to understand the workings of the WHO\u2019s supreme governing body, and asks them to consider a current global health issue, participate in a WHA committee, draft a resolution and present it to the entire assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n

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James Orbinski<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In addition, students are exposed to numerous experts in the field who will offer guidance and share their own experiences. Participants in 2023, for example, were treated to an online address by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, and Dr. James Orbinski<\/strong>, a Nobel laureate and director of the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research at York. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt demonstrates how valuable experiential education is,\u201d said Khalid. \u201cIt was so well received that we\u2019ll be making it an annual event. We started working on this year\u2019s simulation the minute the last one ended.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Khalid and Viens can attest to the value the simulation has for students, based on their research. The pair used a mixed method of study to evaluate the program, an event that was supported by a grant from the Academic Innovation Fund and funds from other donors.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They asked all participants to fill out a pre-assessment survey to evaluate their skills with dialogue, complex problem thinking, communications and use of simulations. Afterward, they conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 participants to determine which of their skills participation improved and how it benefited them. These findings will form the basis of a research paper and will be shared at conferences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The findings indicated: <\/p>\n\n\n\n