Carla Sá Couto is a clinical simulation educator and researcher with a background in Biomedical Engineering. She has been a passionate simulation advocate, for over 20 years. In her early career, she was privileged to integrate a pivotal research team aiming the development of simulation technology and simulation-based educational programs, and was one instrumental element in the implementation of the first simulation centre in Portugal (2003). In 2010, she shifted her interests from technology to education, and started a full-time position as coordinator of Biomedical Simulation Center of the Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto (FMUP). From 2014 to 2022, she has been responsible for the integration of simulation in the undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education at FMUP. 

Currently, she is a lead researcher and educator at FMUP, being responsible for several simulation-based national and international research projects and pre- and post-graduation courses. She is also actively involved in several international scientific societies and initiatives (SiReN@SESAM, ASPiH, EuSim).

Her research and teaching interests are the development educational tools and strategies for clinical simulation, faculty development, and, more recently, exploring the impact of skills training on healthcare providers' attitudes/behaviours.