Dr. Donovan Duncan

My research focuses on improving the care of critically ill children by studying how clinicians, teams, and health systems learn and perform in high-stakes pediatric acute care environments. I am particularly interested in simulation, resuscitation, clinical event debriefing, decision support, and quality improvement as approaches to strengthen care delivery. My work explores how simulation can be used not only to teach individual clinicians, but also to understand team performance, identify system vulnerabilities, and translate learning into safer clinical practice.
Current and recent projects include studies of augmented-reality and mobile decision-support tools for pediatric cardiac arrest, simulation-based evaluation of airway safety interventions, and simulation-informed approaches to delivering care to critically ill children. Through my Master of Health Professions Education work, I am also studying physicians’ engagement in simulation-based continuing professional development, with attention to motivation, psychological safety, professional identity, and barriers to participation. Overall, my research aims to generate practical knowledge that improves pediatric resuscitation, supports healthcare teams, and advances safer, more effective care for children and families.