Welcome

This abstract publication provides documentation of the 20^th International Skills Lab Symposium (ISLS 2026). The conference was held on behalf of the Committees for Practical Skills and Simulated Patients of the Society for Medical Education (GMA) and took place from March 12 to 14, 2026, at the Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University. The conference motto was “SigMAture Skills – Nothing Is Self-Explanatory”: Nearly 200 participants attended the conference.

Following a pre-conference featuring workshops on current topics in the field of “simulated patients” and a networking session, the conference opened with two keynote presentations: “From Basic Skills to Signature Skills – How Much Individuality Is Allowed?” by Dr. Angelika Homberg (Medical Faculty Mannheim) and “On the Nutritional Value of Cookies and Lemons: Rethinking Feedback” by Dr. Eva Hennel (Institute for Medical Education, University of Bern).

With a total of 61 presentations, posters, and workshops, ISLS 2026 covered a wide range of topics related to “practical skills” and “simulated patients”; fostering exchange among participants and furthering the development of the community.

The organizing team would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the GMA and the APF and ASP committees, to all participants who contributed to the program’s content through their presentations and active participation in discussions, as well as to the chairs of the lecture and poster sessions. We would also like to thank all the industry sponsors of the symposium for their support. A very special thank you goes to the on-site team, whose visible and even more invisible efforts made the organization and execution of the 20^th International Skills Lab Symposium possible.

The Organizing Committee
ISLS 2026