Colonel Cheryl Lockhart is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, trained nurse practitioner, and Senior Military Advisor for SimX. As the Senior Military Advisor, Colonel Lockhart helps plan, build, and test SimX curricula for military medical training and civilian education. She also advises new and prospective customers on best practices for VR training and curriculum development. Additionally, Cheryl champions research and adequate medical training in the military field at many conferences and training events. With her extensive experience in both clinical practice and military operations, she is dedicated to improving the preparedness and effectiveness of military healthcare providers.

She is an experienced and published researcher, educator, and public speaker and has presented at numerous national and international conferences on military medical training and virtual reality applications in healthcare. Her work in integrating VR technology into medical education has led to innovative advancements in simulation-based training for military personnel, improving both operational readiness and patient care outcomes. Col Lockhart is passionate about advancing military healthcare and continues to mentor the next generation of leaders in both the military and civilian medical fields.

History/Experience

Colonel Cheryl Lockhart has over 32 years of experience in the USAF and Army National Guard. She is a former Executive Chief Nurse, Air Force Medical Service Surgeon General Military Nursing Consultant, and Army Signal Corp Officer. Cheryl’s expertise and research include Virtual Reality (VR) in military medical education, tactical combat casualty care training/evaluation, and critical care nursing. She’s served as an ICU nurse, Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) Flight Nurse, Critical Care Aeromedical Transport Team (CCATT) nurse, and Acute Lung Rescue Transport (ALRT) nurse on several operational deployments. Additionally, Col Lockhart has overseen several military Education and Training teams and simulation departments.

Education

Cheryl has a Doctorate from SUNY Buffalo and a master’s in public health with a focus on Homeland Security. She is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) and a Certified Unity User Programmer. Additionally, she holds certifications as a Critical Care Nurse, Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, Certified Nurse Educator, and Certified Nurse Executive. She currently resides in South Carolina. 

Current & Ongoing Work

• Webinars: Colonel Lockhart has led numerous impactful webinars, sharing his expertise and sparking insightful conversations on best practices for VR medical simulation programs, including SimX. One notable session, hosted on HealthySimulation.com, was titled “Successful Integration of Virtual Reality into Healthcare Facilities,” where he provided invaluable guidance on how to effectively incorporate VR technology into healthcare settings to enhance training and patient care.
• Research and Development: The SimX Research and Development (R&D) team is composed of doctors, educators, and dedicated professionals with diverse expertise across various disciplines. As part of this team, Cheryl collaborates with experts to prioritize building innovative solutions that fulfill the needs of both learners and educators. Colonel Lockhart’s R&D efforts also include contributing to the field not only by generating novel products but also by participating in studies, publishing findings, and disseminating knowledge at conferences via posters, presentations, and participation in panels.
• Presentations: Both prior to and after joining SimX as a Senior Military Advisor, Cheryl has been invited to present on multiple occasions on the effectiveness of VR training. In her presentations, she often discusses the effectiveness of VR technology in training military medical personnel—specifically nursing students and nurse practitioners—to help individuals and teams develop essential skills, techniques, and procedures they need to complete their training successfully. Colonel Lockhart was even named “Best Presenter” at the 2024 IT2EC Conference for her paper on the importance of virtual reality for team training for multidisciplinary medical teams in the military.