Dr. Lou Clark

 PhD, MFA

United States of America

Lou Clark (she/her) is a health professions educator and social scientist whose scholarship is informed by her professional background as a theater artist and creative writer. Lou is the Executive Director of M Simulation (https://msimulation.umn.edu/), an Associate Professor of Medicine, and a clinical skills course co-director at the University of Minnesota. Her research interests include human simulation/simulated participant (SP) methodology, empathy/compassion and clinical communication skills training with health sciences learners, and equity and inclusion in healthcare simulation. She has published 40+ peer-reviewed papers in health professions education, presented 100+ juried and invited presentations on related topics, and co-edited the book Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation: Implementing Best Practices in Standardized Patient Methodology (2020). Lou served as the 2024–2025 president of the Association of SP Educators and accepted a 2025 Society of Simulation in Healthcare Presidential Citation that recognizes ASPE as a leading global association dedicated to advancing SP methodology.