Imagine a medical student practicing a complex surgical procedure hundreds of times before ever touching a real patient. That’s the power of simulation-based health education, a teaching method that creates realistic, risk-free training environments for healthcare professionals to develop their clinical skills. Yet across Rwanda, access to this powerful educational approach remains deeply uneven, with urban medical schools having advanced skills labs, while rural training centers lack basic equipment. 

This disparity doesn’t just affect education; it deepens healthcare inequalities nationwide. Enter the Rwandan Simulation Health Equity (SHE) Network, a growing coalition of educational and healthcare institutions working together to advance the use of Simulation Based Education across the country. The network’s mission is simple but transformative: promote interprofessional collaboration around education to drive equitable improvement in patient outcomes.  

Recently, in Kigali, the Rwandan SHE Network took its most important step toward becoming a formal organization. The University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) hosted the network’s third consortium meeting, bringing together representatives from 14 major healthcare and educational institutions to develop the network bylaws, which formally outline the network’s governance structure and the benefits of membership. This workshop also included preparations for introducing the election process for SHE’s executive leadership. While these might sound like administrative details, they represent the foundation for systematic change in medical education across Rwanda. 

The institutions that are now joining forces represent Rwanda’s entire medical, nursing and midwifery education ecosystem. Universities like UGHE, University of Rwanda, the University of Gitwe and the East African Christian College will be collaborating with specialized training centers such as the Ruli Higher Institute of Health and Kibogora Polytechnic. Professional associations such as the Rwanda Society of Obstetrics and Gynecologists and Rwanda Pediatrics Association will join healthcare delivery partners like Partners In Health Rwanda and Butaro Level Two Teaching Hospital in this journey.  

Together, these organisations train thousands of medical and nursing trainees and other healthcare workers each year. 

When these institutions coordinate their simulation programs, the ripple effects will reach every corner of Rwanda’s health system. A nursing student in rural Ruli will gain the same hands-on practice opportunities as the one at UGHE. Pediatric residents across the country will learn about life-saving procedures using standardized protocols and simulation tools. Most importantly, patients will receive better care, whether treated in Rwanda’s capital or its most remote health centers. 

With bylaws nearing completion and leadership elections on the way, the SHE Network is positioning itself as Rwanda’s primary platform for advancing equitable medical education. Many institutions face challenges with tech support, while others struggle to train simulation staff effectively. To address these issues, the consortium’s top priorities include launching resource-sharing initiatives and expanding membership to incorporate more rural training institutions.  

In a country that has already demonstrated remarkable progress in health outcomes, the Rwandan SHE Network represents the next evolution, transforming excellence in medical training from the exception into the norm.  By standardising simulation-based education nationwide, Rwanda is creating a model for how developing nations can leverage collaboration to build stronger, more equitable healthcare systems.