title: SimWars.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Simulation use for training residents has become an expectation in emergency medicine in order to improve the educational dimensions of cognitive knowledge, critical thinking, psychomotor skills, and clinical performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article is a descriptive piece highlighting a novel group education format-"SimWars." The keys to a successful SimWars competition, including descriptions of necessary personnel and tips on effective case development, as well as lessons learned from its development and implementation, are described. After reading this article, educators will have the background necessary to implement their own simulation-enhanced training sessions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SimWars gives educators an opportunity to watch the decision-making process of the learners as they manage simulated complex scenarios in a cooperative competitive environment.
authors.affiliation: University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida; National SimLEARN Center, Veterans Health Administration, Orlando, Florida.
authors.forename: Yasuharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida.
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Godwin
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.affiliation: Department of Simulation and Innovation, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Ernest
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weingart
mesh_terms: D003163:Competitive Behavior; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003657:Decision Making; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007721:Knowledge of Results, Psychological; D008348:Manikins; D011340:Problem Solving; D012381:Role Playing; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*
keywords: SimWars; emergency medicine; graduate medical education; large group learning; simulation