Valencia hosts the largest medical VR summit

SESAM (Society for Simulation in Europe) is the most influential European society dedicated to medical simulation. Its annual congress brings together healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, and technology companies to explore the future of medical learning, patient safety, and innovation in clinical simulation.

In 2025, Valencia was the chosen host city, under the theme:
“Develop, Adopt and Integrate Innovative Simulation”
A theme that reflects the urgency of transforming healthcare education through immersive tools, XR technology, and next-generation simulation processes.

📍 Venue: Palacio de Congresos de Valencia

📅 Dates: 25–27 June 2025 (with pre-congress workshops on 23–24 June)

👥 Record attendance: 1,377 people from 65 countries, of whom more than 500 were first-time attendees.

🧠 More than 200 presentations, panels, technical demonstrations, and interactive sessions.

🔬 Key programme themes

The congress focused on:

• XR technology, augmented reality, and virtual simulations
• Clinical assessment and curriculum development
• Artificial intelligence in medical simulation
• Patient safety and quality of care
• Wellbeing, inclusion, and multiprofessional training
• Clinical debriefing and a culture of learning from error
• Innovation in manikins, software, and immersive environments
• Simulation as infrastructure, not merely a tool

🎙 Featured speakers and keynote addresses

Dra. Carmen Gomar Sancho (Spain): opening address on the evolution of medical simulation in the country.

Dr. Pier Luigi Ingrassia (President of SESAM): spoke on the need to integrate simulation as an essential infrastructure of the healthcare system.

Participation of experts from King’s College London, the UK National Health Service (NHS), NATO Armed Forces, and multiple European universities.

Special forums such as SiReN (Simulation Research Network) for early-career researchers.

📌 Conclusions and significance

SESAM 2025 marked a turning point by positioning simulation as critical infrastructure within healthcare systems. Extended reality, artificial intelligence, and remote simulation moved beyond the realm of future ideas to become the focus of current medical debate. The strong participation of early-career researchers and emerging professionals demonstrates that the future of simulation is expanding. An international network was consolidated to transform the way lives are taught, trained for, and saved in hospitals and universities.

✨ Conclusion

SESAM Valencia 2025 was not merely a congress — it was an inflection point.
In a world where medicine evolves by the minute, simulation becomes the bridge between knowledge and real clinical action.
Valencia was the epicentre where innovation met education… and the future began.

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