Advancing crisis readiness through progressive simulation in undergraduate medical education

As healthcare professionals worldwide face increasing demands from disasters, mass casualty incidents, and other complex emergencies, medical education must prepare students to perform in high-pressure, resource-limited environments. Traditional simulation experiences are often episodic and narrowly focused, limiting their ability to cultivate the longitudinal development of clinical skills, leadership, and adaptability. This innovation report presents a four-year, progressive simulation curriculum designed to build crisis readiness across the undergraduate medical education continuum. Informed by experiential learning theory and cognitive load theory, this innovative model scaffolds learners through staged simulation experiences that grow in complexity and responsibility. From early roleplay with peers to immersive field exercises and capstone leadership scenarios, the simulation curriculum integrates clinical, communication, and team-based competencies in increasingly dynamic environments. This longitudinal approach aligns with principles of competency-based medical education and offers a scalable, transferable model for enhancing readiness and resilience in future physicians.