In this special on-location episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George brings you conversations from “Translating Innovation: A-MEDICO Meets Alberta MedTech Industry,” an event designed to spark connections between researchers, trainees, and industry partners working at the intersection of health innovation and medical device development in Alberta.

Funded by the Alberta Ministry of Technology and Innovation, A-MEDICO is a major collaborative initiative led by the University of Calgary, with support from the University of Alberta, Red Deer Polytechnic, the University of Lethbridge, and NAIT’s Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation (CAMS). The goal: unite the province’s post-secondaries, industry partners, and underserved communities to accelerate Alberta’s medical technology ecosystem.

Lisa speaks with five key voices from across the innovation pipeline — from early-stage student researchers to experienced entrepreneurs and innovation leaders:

Ben Millen - VP of Design, Tangent Design Engineering
Ben shares how Tangent helps early scientific ideas move from napkin sketch to real-world medical devices. He explores the challenges of scale-up, regulatory compliance, and building products that are not only functional but manufacturable, safe, and clinically useful.

Stephanie Dang - Graduate Student, Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary
Stephanie reflects on her transition from biochemistry to biomedical engineering and how automation, collaboration, and mentorship are shaping her journey as a medtech innovator.

Dr. Lindsey Westover - Associate Professor & Associate Dean, Faculty of Engineering, UCalgary
Dr. Westover discusses her work developing BackScanner, a low-cost mobile app that uses 3D imaging to monitor scoliosis without X-rays. She highlights the power of open access tools, clinician partnerships, and user-centered design.

Dr. John Wong - CEO & Co-Founder, Fluid Biomed Inc.
Dr. Wong shares the extraordinary journey of creating the world’s first bioabsorbable stent for treating brain aneurysms. From surgical insight to startup CEO, he opens up about navigating commercialization, investor alignment, and scaling a life-saving innovation.

Dr. Michael Kallos - Professor and Department Head, Biomedical Engineering, UCalgary
As the architect of A-MEDICO, Dr. Kallos explains how the program creates one big lab across Alberta — connecting students, researchers, polytechnics, and industry under a unified vision for medtech innovation.

From translating research into reality to empowering Alberta’s next generation of innovators, this episode is a powerful look at how simulation, collaboration, and bold ideas are reshaping what’s possible in health care.

About:
NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit

This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George is joined by Tyler Tamayose, President and Principal Consultant of Banyan Strategies. A cross-sector leader with a deep background in health care, government, academia, and innovation, Tyler shares his unique journey from early experiences in crisis response to mentoring hundreds of startups.

He reflects on the importance of giving leaders space to think, the value of simulation in health care, and what Alberta needs to become a global leader in health innovation. With clarity and conviction, Tyler unpacks the gaps between frontline teams and innovators, the importance of human-centered leadership, and the need to redesign systems that embrace bold ideas and collaborative execution.

Whether you’re an aspiring leader, systems thinker, or changemaker in health care, this conversation offers insights, practical wisdom, and inspiration for what’s possible when we think beyond the box.

About:
NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit

This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George speaks with Andrew Karesa, Founder and CEO of blueBell Village, a community dedicated to redefining dementia and memory care through relationship‑focused services and interprofessional collaboration.

Andrew shares the personal story that inspired Bluebell Village, beginning with his grandmother’s Alzheimer’s journey. He explains how his vision for a dementia village evolved into Connect, a digital platform that brings caregivers, families, and service providers together to offer coordinated and culturally appropriate care.

Their conversation explores the realities of caregiving, the innovation gaps in dementia support, and the urgent need to design systems that respect personal independence and cultural context. Andrew’s work reflects the growing movement toward care models that prioritize relationships, empathy, and inclusion.

About:
NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit

This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, we sit down with Patty Wickson, a transformative leader with over 30 years of experience in health care innovation, clinical operations, and strategic systems. Patty shares her fascinating journey leading Alberta Health Services’ Innovation Office, where she and her team developed an “Innovation Pipeline” to accelerate health solutions from idea to system-wide implementation.

She reveals how her team brought groundbreaking projects to life—like a wound-healing gel that sped up recovery by 56%—and explains the fine balance between agility and evidence in large systems. Patty also shares her approach to cultivating “intrapreneurs” inside health organizations and how to foster frontline-led innovation.

From AI’s future in clinical workflows to the power of virtual care in remote communities, this episode explores the key ingredients behind meaningful health transformation—and what health innovators, clinicians, and system leaders can learn from it.

Key Topics:

• How to build a sustainable innovation framework inside large health systems
• The Innovation Pipeline process for rapid adoption
• Lessons from real-world projects with strong patient outcomes
• The role of “intrapreneurship” in driving workforce-led solutions
• Advice for early-stage health innovators
• The growing opportunities in AI, automation, and virtual care

About:
NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit

This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George speaks with Dr. Kelly Lackie, Associate Professor and Associate Director of Simulation-Based Education and Inter-professional Education at Dalhousie University's School of Nursing. Dr. Lackie shares her passion for inter-professional education (IPE) and how simulation is used to build equity, psychological safety, and collaborative practice in healthcare.

From developing protected IPE time and simulation-based assessments to championing inclusive education through patient partnerships and narrative research, Dr. Lackie offers valuable insights into what it takes to prepare learners—and educators—for meaningful, team-based care.
Whether you’re an educator, clinician, policymaker, or student, this conversation will deepen your understanding of how simulation can transform education, safety, and culture in health care.

Learn more about Dalhousie’s School of Nursing: nursing.dal.ca

About:
NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit

This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

Advancing Health Care Through Simulation – Episode with Dr. Martin Ferguson-Pell

In this episode, host Lisa George welcomes Dr. Martin Ferguson-Pell, Professor in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta. A trailblazer in simulation-based healthcare innovation, Dr. Ferguson-Pell shares how his team leverages XR (Extended Reality) and AI tools to revolutionize clinical training, expand access to education, and reduce barriers for patients and learners alike.

From founding the nonprofit Elixir Simulations to building virtual Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCEs), Dr. Ferguson-Pell walks us through how immersive technology, thoughtful design, and collaborative models are reshaping the way we train the next generation of healthcare professionals.

He also reflects on his former role as CEO of the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute, where he led efforts to integrate patient data into system-wide strategy for improving outcomes.

Whether you're in healthcare, education, innovation, or policy—this episode offers a powerful glimpse into what's possible when simulation meets systems thinking.

About:
NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit

This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

In this episode of Advancing Healthcare Through Simulation, Stacie Wood and Alex Martins of Elevate Healthcare share how cutting-edge simulation tools, smart curriculum design, and interdisciplinary collaboration are transforming clinical training across Canada.

We explore:

• The biggest trends in simulation-based education, including AI, remote learning, and cloud-based tools
• How simulation is evolving to support real-world readiness, workforce retention, and patient safety
• The importance of realism, accessibility, and psychological safety in simulation design
• How to match simulation modalities with educational goals—because high tech isn’t always the best tech
• Best practices for debriefing, emotional safety, and building trust in high-stakes training
• The role of simulation in addressing the “know-do” gap in clinical learning
• What to expect from the Advancing Healthcare Through Simulation Provincial Summit on May 7

Learn more at “Advancing Healthcare through Simulation: A Provincial Summit” hosted by CAMS at NAIT on May 7

About:
NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit

This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca

In this episode, we’re joined by Robert Sikora of Edmonton Global to explore the intersection of simulation-based healthcare training and economic development. Robert shares how Edmonton’s growing reputation in health and life sciences is driving international interest—and how simulation is becoming a vital pillar in attracting investment and accelerating innovation.

We explore:

• Why global investors and startups are looking to Alberta—and specifically Edmonton—as a rising health and life sciences hub
• How simulation tools like CAMS at NAIT help companies validate medical devices before going to market
• The role of risk mitigation, workforce development, and R&D cost savings in choosing a region for innovation
• The collaborative advantage of Edmonton’s ecosystem—where post-secondaries, industry, and government work in harmony
• How simulation is reshaping regulatory readiness, product validation, and clinical training
• What attendees can expect from the upcoming Provincial Simulation Summit on May 7

Learn more at “Advancing Healthcare through Simulation: A Provincial Summit” hosted by CAMS at NAIT on May 7

About:
NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit

This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca