The University has officially opened its Clinical Simulation Hospital on the Montepríncipe Campus, a facility that now ranks among Europe’s leading clinical simulation centres.
Designed to recreate a wide range of hospital care environments, the centre includes inpatient wards, intensive care units, operating theatres, primary care consultation rooms, emergency departments, hospital pharmacy facilities, physiotherapy suites and even a simulated home environment. With more than 20 purpose-built spaces dedicated to clinical simulation, the hospital enables students to develop professional competencies in a safe environment, where mistakes are seen as an essential source of knowledge.
The University applies the SimZones model, developed by Christopher Roussin and Peter Weinstock at Boston Children’s Hospital, as the framework for structuring its clinical simulation programme. This methodology organises training into distinct ‘zones’ or levels of complexity, adapted to each student’s stage of development and designed to promote progressive and reflective learning, with patient safety as a central pillar.
SimZones models are divided into five levels, ranging from guided self-directed learning to structured reflection on real clinical cases. At the University, Zones 0 to 3 are predominantly implemented, supporting students through a journey that begins with individual foundational skills and develops towards interdisciplinary team-based training. As a result, students acquire, not only clinical techniques, but also communication skills, leadership abilities, emotional regulation and teamwork, all fundamental to effective clinical practice.
According to Professor Tomás Chivato, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, “The implementation of the SimZones framework allows us to embed simulation across the curriculum, ensuring that future healthcare professionals acquire the full range of skills needed to work with confidence and excellence in real-world settings.”
He added, “This model also strengthens interprofessional collaboration among students of Medicine, Nursing, Physiotherapy and other health disciplines, fostering a culture of safety, reflection and continual improvement.”
With this initiative, the University reaffirms its commitment to excellence in healthcare education, grounded in practical training, pedagogical innovation and social responsibility, placing the student at the centre of the learning process.
Health Sciences at CEU: experience, hands-on training, research and international projection
The University’s Faculty of Medicine is a benchmark in Spanish higher education and continues to consolidate its position as a leading institution in the training of healthcare professionals, offering rigorous academic standards, a holistic educational model and a strong commitment to societal service.
With over 50 years of experience, the Faculty welcomed more than 5,200 students from twenty-seven nationalities last academic year. Its academic offering includes degrees in Nursing, Physiotherapy, Genetics, Medicine, Dentistry, Psychology and Bioinformatics and Big Data, along with two programmes delivered in English: Dentistry and Physiotherapy. The Faculty also offers 20 specialised postgraduate programmes and a doctoral degree. Its distinctiveness is their academic excellence that combines theoretical knowledge with high-quality clinical practice, cutting-edge research and comprehensive humanistic education, including dedicated training in Medical Humanities, a key component for future healthcare professionals.
Practical training is one of the Faculty’s guiding principles. The University maintains partnerships with major private healthcare groups in the Madrid region, including Vithas Group and Viamed Group, as well as agreements with public hospitals within the Madrid Regional Health Service and primary care centres. Before engaging with patients in real clinical environments, students undergo advanced simulation-based training and then complete placements in renowned healthcare centres such as Vithas Pardo de Aravaca Hospital, Viamed Santa Elena Hospital, Viamed Fuensanta Hospital, Fundación Hospitalarias, the CEU San Pablo University Polyclinic, and specialist clinics.
The Faculty’s educational approach is characterized by close student-faculty interaction, combining tradition and innovation with personalized attention.
Another pillar of the Faculty is its strong commitment to research, integrating its academic staff into the Institute of Applied Molecular Medicine (IMMA), which enables students to participate in innovative research projects from the undergraduate stage. Additionally, its broad and specialized range of master's programs enhances professional specialization and readiness for the job market, as all master's degrees include specific agreements with hospitals and healthcare centers for professional internships.
The Faculty also offers a Doctorate in Translational Medicine via the CEINDO International Doctoral School, with research lines encompassing all branches of the Faculty: oncology, neurosciences, cardiovascular pathology and internal medicine; surgical pathophysiology of the musculoskeletal system; multidisciplinary approaches to clinical prevention and therapeutic intervention; experimental and clinical immunopathology; and experimental and clinical dentistry. In addition, the Faculty hosts six research chairs — Nemesio Diez Medical Education and Humanisation, EMEIS, DOMUS VI, Klockner, START INTHEOS, and Traumatology and Sport — along with the CEU Military Health Unit.
The Faculty’s international outlook is also noteworthy, offering students the opportunity to complete their studies at over 30 universities and biomedical research centers worldwide through established agreements. These partnerships support mobility programs, international internships, and academic experiences in multicultural environments, providing students with a global perspective and opportunities for international volunteer work. Additionally, the Faculty boasts a highly qualified teaching staff, deeply committed to both education and research.
The Degree in Medicine holds international accreditation from the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), enabling access to professional practice in the United States and Canada. The Degree in Physiotherapy has obtained accreditation from the Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) in the United States, enabling graduates to directly sit the licensing examination required to practise in the country.
Furthermore, the University is the first Spanish and second European institution to receive accreditation from the WSCUC/WASC Senior College and University Commission, one of the most prestigious accrediting bodies in the United States.
At the Faculty of Medicine, concepts such as humanization, humanism, and the humanities are fundamental. Emphasis is placed on the human dimension of healthcare — the doctor-patient relationship, the healthcare act, and the medical act. The physician is viewed as a servant of society, whose role is to care for the patient and alleviate their suffering. Since the 2022–2023 academic year, the Faculty has been part of the Hippocratic Movement. In collaboration with the Humans Foundation, it has also established the Observatory for the Humanization of Sociosanitary Care — an institution dedicated to promoting research, knowledge, and development in the humanization of healthcare and humanism in service of educational and health organizations.