Arnaud Petit

Arnaud Petit serves as a University Professor of Pediatrics at Sorbonne University's Faculty of Health Sciences and practices clinically in pediatric hematology and oncology at Armand Trousseau Hospital. Since 2012, he has pioneered simulation-based medical education for pediatrics, establishing the P2ULSE platform in 2017 through regional health agency funding. His work ensures medical students gain essential procedural skills on mannequins before treating real patients, adhering to the principle "never the first time on the patient".

Petit's research centers on high-fidelity simulation for pediatric invasive procedures, developing integrated curricula combining online theory with hands-on mannequin practice followed by structured debriefings addressing technical skills and emotional management. He champions interprofessional education through joint medical-nursing student simulations to enhance teamwork, critical communication, and patient safety protocols. Current work explores augmented/virtual reality integration to diversify pedagogical approaches for complex clinical scenarios.

Leading the "Mannequin Patients for Future Doctors" initiative, Petit secured grants from the Île-de-France region and associations to equip simulation facilities. In 2022, P2ULSE conducted 338 sessions for 1,800 students, with universal fifth-year medical student training in pediatric lumbar punctures. His projects now extend to continuing professional development for caregivers and electronic simulation development, emphasizing that simulation complements—but never replaces—bedside clinical experience.

Petit directs P2ULSE (Pluridisciplinary Hospital-University e-Learning and Simulation Platform in Eastern Paris), operating from repurposed operating theaters at Armand Trousseau Hospital. This platform bridges academic instruction and clinical practice, serving as an innovation hub for healthcare simulation across multiple disciplines while transforming medical education through donor-supported technological advancement.