Dr. Konia Selected as Director of Simulation Education For Minneapolis VA

Mojca Konia, MD, PhD, MACM, University of Minnesota Medical School Department of Anesthesiology has been appointed as the new Director of Simulation Education for the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, working with Dr. Ezgi Tiryaki, Associate Professor in the University of Minnesota Medical School Department of Neurology, who will be leading and developing a small team dedicated to the simulation process at the VA.

“The intent behind creating this team was to introduce systemic changes within the hospital system,” said Dr. Konia. “This will involve training staff and addressing hospital priorities, while focusing on improving system processes.” 

Dr. Konia’s holds University roles as Director of the University of Minnesota’s SimPORTAL and Medical Director of Health Simulation and has been working with the VA since 2017, making this initiative at the VA a logical next step in improving care. She will take on this key administrative leadership role in the newly formed Simulation Division at the VA, focusing on curriculum development, health systems improvement and scholarship. Dr. Konia will also be in charge of overseeing the simulation component of the VA Quality Scholars Fellowship (VAQS). 

“We hope to make important process and system-wide improvements with the addition of this new Simulation Education Division at the VA,” said Dr. Konia, “and operating as a single system makes coordinating this a very attainable and exciting goal.”