What happens when an intensive care nurse discovers a passion for education, research, and digital innovation? If you’re Guillaume Decormeille, the answer is: you build a one-of-a-kind career in healthcare simulation that bridges the clinical, academic, and industrial worlds. In the latest episode of Sim Move, the first French-language podcast dedicated to simulation in healthcare, Guillaume shares his remarkable story with host Fouad Marhar—and what a story it is.
A SIMZINE exclusive based on SIM Moove podcast interview with Guillaume Decormeille
In this new episode of Sim Move, podcast host Fouad Marhar sits down with Guillaume Decormeille, an intensive care nurse, educator, researcher, and simulation pioneer whose professional journey has seamlessly blended clinical experience, academic rigor, and innovation. Through a lively conversation, Guillaume recounts his early days in simulation, his unique path through critical care and cognitive sciences, and his determination to bring digital learning tools to life. This episode offers more than a biography—it’s a compelling roadmap for healthcare professionals seeking to innovate through simulation, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The Serendipitous Start
Like many simulation professionals, Guillaume didn’t begin his career in a simulation center. He began at the bedside—as an ICU nurse at the University Hospital of Toulouse. His first exposure to simulation came not through formal recruitment but through a personal connection: anesthesiologist Elodie Brunel. “She told me, ‘Your profile would be great for simulation,’” Guillaume recalls. That suggestion led him to Fouad, and soon he found himself stepping into the newly created simulation center in Toulouse in 2011.
What followed was a wave of rapid growth. Weekly in-house simulation training sessions became the norm. The center expanded, new colleagues joined, and Guillaume found himself part of a thriving simulation community.
Clinical Roots, Academic Wing
One of the reasons Guillaume’s story stands out is the seamless blend of his clinical practice with academic development. Even while working in intensive care, he remained deeply involved in professional networks such as the French Society of Intensive Care (SRLF) and the French Society of Anesthesia and Resuscitation (SFAR).
Simultaneously, Guillaume pursued higher education—completing a Master’s degree in Education Sciences, where he began to focus not just on teaching, but on how learners actually learn. This inquiry led him directly into the world of cognitive psychology and learning sciences.
“I wanted to understand how students build knowledge,” he explains. That curiosity eventually drove him toward a PhD project in cognitive science—a field he admits was entirely foreign to him at the time.
The Power of Interdisciplinary Collaboration
One of Guillaume’s core strengths is his talent for building bridges between communities. From simulation centers to research labs, from hospitals to universities, and from clinical units to industrial partners, he has consistently found ways to connect people, ideas, and institutions.
A perfect example is his collaboration with the Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology at the University Toulouse Jean-Jaurès. “Sébastien Carraz had already opened doors with the education sciences,” Guillaume notes. “I decided to build new ones with cognitive science.” Thanks to this partnership, students began working with surgeons on suturing techniques, integrating simulation, research, and teaching in innovative ways.
Innovation Fueled by Determination
But ambition alone doesn’t pay the bills. To fund his doctoral research, Guillaume pursued a CIFRE agreement—a unique French initiative that allows PhD students to work within a company while conducting research. He candidly admits he had never heard of the program before a casual conversation with Monique Rothan-Tondeur, one of the leading figures in nursing science in France. Her advice? “Why don’t you apply for a CIFRE?”
That suggestion turned out to be transformative. Guillaume became one of the few, if not the first, ICU nurses in France to obtain a CIFRE doctoral contract. With funding secured and a project approved, his focus shifted to how learners engage with digital simulation environments. He didn’t just want to use simulators—he wanted to understand what made them effective.
Between Academia and Industry
Guillaume’s professional life also took him through the world of healthcare industry. While some may see the industrial sector as distant from education or clinical care, Guillaume embraced it as another arena for impact. In his eyes, working with companies meant a chance to influence how simulation tools are designed, implemented, and evaluated.
This phase of his career deepened his understanding of product development and gave him insight into how user needs could (and should) shape technological innovation. “Being in industry gave me a strategic viewpoint,” he explains. “You’re no longer just the end user—you help design the experience.”
An Advocate for Digital Simulation
One of Guillaume’s most recent passions is digital simulation—especially virtual and hybrid tools that allow learners to train outside of traditional settings. He believes simulation must go beyond manikins and high-tech labs. “We need to democratize access,” he says. “Technology should help us scale quality education, not limit it to a few institutions.”
His work now focuses on how students engage with digital environments, what cognitive processes are activated, and how learning outcomes can be optimized through evidence-based design. Whether it’s designing serious games or evaluating online simulation modules, Guillaume keeps one goal in mind: meaningful learning.
A Blueprint for the Future
What makes Guillaume de Cormeilles a compelling figure in the field of simulation is not just his career path—it’s the clarity of his purpose. He believes that simulation is not just a technique but a philosophy of learning. It should be inclusive, evidence-based, and always open to transformation.
To young nurses, educators, or researchers wondering how they can contribute to simulation, Guillaume’s message is simple: “Don’t wait for permission. Start where you are. Follow your curiosity. Build your network.”
He is living proof that a nurse from the ICU, driven by passion and supported by a community of collaborators, can become a national and international leader in simulation-based education.
Conclusion: More Than a Career—A Calling
As the conversation in Sim Move draws to a close, one can’t help but feel inspired by Guillaume’s journey. It’s a story of perseverance, serendipity, collaboration, and a deep commitment to advancing healthcare education. His unique blend of experience—from bedside care to cognitive research, from education to industry—offers a vision of what healthcare simulation can become: a powerful, inclusive, and scientifically grounded force for good.
If this episode teaches us anything, it’s that the future of simulation doesn’t belong to any one discipline. It belongs to those bold enough to cross boundaries—and curious enough to keep asking how we can do better.
Full conversation available in French on SIM Moove
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