Rapid-Cycle Deliberate Practice (RCDP) is a simulation-based instructional strategy that focuses on rapid acquisition of necessary skills. In the last four years, RCDP’s use in training emergency clinical situations has been associated with improved team performance in several different studies.

Developed by a team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University, RCDP is an innovative cognitive framework that uses simulation as the instructional tool, as well as the components of deliberate practice, mastery learning, and crisis resource management, to improve healthcare team performance during low-volume, high-risk, time-sensitive patient events.

The framework requires that instructors foster psychological safety, establish their role as coach/mentor, and include evidence-based or expert-derived solutions for errors that occur during a simulated event.

An RCDP curriculum should be designed to maximize the time participants spend practicing patient care the “right way,” with instructors observing performance gaps and providing prescriptions to correct participant actions. The goal of RCDP is mastery of key learning objectives based on established procedures or protocols, with instructor coaching and feedback provided as necessary so that each team member can achieve mastery performance.

Since its introduction in 2012 and initial findings regarding its effectiveness, educators have been eager to learn how to incorporate RCDP into healthcare training. The Johns Hopkins Medicine Simulation Center is excited to now offer a hybrid training that pairs an online course with a two-day on-site immersive simulation-based training.

The second phase of the Rapid-Cycle Deliberate Practice (RCDP) Master Trainer course is an on-site two-day immersive study in RCDP, which will be held at the Johns Hopkins Medicine Simulation Center’s Simulation Hospital on the East Baltimore Campus.

It will include:

• Small group work,
• Team- and case-based learning activities,
• Video review and discussion with expert trainers, and
• Mentored practice in teaching RCDP’s training methods.

Expert instructors will be on hand, coaching and mentoring learners throughout the experience.

Unique to the on-site study is implementation planning, where each learner will design how they plan to incorporate RCDP into their home programs. The implementation plan includes a reporting structure to the Johns Hopkins RCDP team, so that continued mentoring and assessment of training effectiveness and outcomes can be provided.

Successful completion of both the online and on-site portions of the RCDP Master Trainer course will result in learner classification as a “Certified RCDP Master Trainer.” Mentoring from the Johns Hopkins Medicine Simulation Center RCDP team will continue beyond the on-site course, to support new RCDP Master Trainers as they implement RCDP into their home programs.

The Johns Hopkins University reserves the right to cancel or postpone any activity due to unforeseen circumstances or low enrollment. In this event, the University will refund the registration fee. Under such circumstances, registrants will be notified as soon as possible.