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Healthcare innovation highlighted at two May events at M State

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Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State) will host two events this May that showcase innovative healthcare training, interdisciplinary collaboration and compassionate, patient-centered care.

The events include a Health Sciences Simulation Center Open House and the 25th Annual Cancer Care Conference, both held at M State’s Moorhead campus. Together, they reflect the college’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare workforce through hands-on education, community and industry partnerships, and professional development.

Simulation Center Open House

A hallway inside the Health Sciences Simulation Center, with three simulated hospital rooms, with sliding glass doors and white walls.
Inside the Health Sciences Simulation Center at M State's Moorhead campus. Open House attendees will have the opportunity to tour the center and watch live, interactive demonstrations. 

As part of National Nurses Week, M State will open its Health Sciences Simulation Center to the public on Wednesday, May 6 from 2-5 p.m. This free event invites healthcare professionals, educators and community members to explore the region’s first immersive health sciences simulation center through self-guided tours and live demonstrations.

Attendees will experience realistic clinical scenarios designed to strengthen critical thinking, teamwork and patient care skills. Highlights include:

  • Interactive demonstrations, including wound care, catheter placement and CPR training 
  • A behind-the-scenes look at simulation technology and debriefing processes 
  • Information on customized workforce training partnerships
  • Complimentary continuing education (CEU) opportunities 

“This event is a great way to showcase the power of simulation-based education and how it can support healthcare teams in delivering high-quality, safe patient care,” says Jenna Stammen, director of health training at M State.

Cancer Care Conference

A room full of Cancer Care Conference attendees watch a presentation by a guest speaker in the Oscar Bergos room at M State's Moorhead campus at the 2025 event.
Cancer Care Conference attendees watch a presentation by a guest speaker at the 2025 event on M State's Moorhead campus. This year's event will be held Friday, May 16.

M State’s 25th Annual Cancer Care Conference will be held Friday, May 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The milestone event, themed, “25 Years of Compassion in Action: Advancing Whole-Person Cancer Care,” brings together healthcare professionals, caregivers and community partners to explore the evolving landscape of cancer care.

Conference topics include:

  • Legal considerations in cancer care 
  • Health-related social needs and patient support systems 
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration 
  • Advances in early detection and screening 
  • Evidence-based cancer prevention strategies 

An interdisciplinary lineup of speakers will represent legal, clinical and community-based perspectives. Presenters include Erin Hartung, director of legal services at Cancer Legal Care, who will discuss patient rights and legal considerations, and Dr. Ryan Smart, a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon specializing in head and neck oncology. 

Attendees will also hear from a panel of Essentia Health professionals – Nicole Raasch, RN; Kim Zeeb-Schaff, LBSW; and Kim Mila, LSW – who will address social needs and care coordination, along with Sharri Lacher, APRN, CNS of Sanford Health, who will present on advancements in lung cancer screening and prevention.

The conference is co-sponsored by the American Cancer Society and offers four contact hours for nurses, dental professionals, social workers and long-term care leaders. Participants may attend in person or virtually.

Registration information

To learn more or register for either event, visit M State’s Workforce Development Solutions webpage, minnesota.edu/workforce-development-solutions, or contact BreAnna Tracy at 218.299.6903 or breannatracy@minnesota.edu.

The M State Moorhead campus is located at 1104 7th Avenue South in Moorhead, Minn.