The Medical 'Flight Simulator' Just Got An Upgrade: University Of Miami Launches Harvey Premier

For decades, flight simulators have helped pilots prepare for every possible emergency before they ever leave the ground. Now, medicine is embracing that same philosophy, and it is happening in Miami.

University Of Miami Launches Harvey Premier

The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has announced the launch of Harvey® Premier, the newest evolution of its legendary medical simulation technology developed at the Michael S. Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education. More than a technological upgrade, Harvey Premier represents a new chapter in how future doctors learn the art of bedside medicine.

The story behind Harvey has always felt a little cinematic. Its creator, cardiologist Dr. Michael S. Gordon, noticed that many of his patients were airline pilots who spoke passionately about flight simulators and their role in training. The idea stuck with him. If pilots could rehearse emergencies safely on the ground, why couldn’t medical students do the same before treating real patients?

Meet Harvey: The Cardio-Pulmonary Patient Simulator

At the time, the technology simply did not exist. So Dr. Gordon built it himself. After years of development, he introduced the Harvey cardio-pulmonary patient simulator to the medical community, eventually presenting it to the American Heart Association. The response was immediate. Harvey could simulate a wide range of heart conditions with remarkable realism, giving students a way to learn subtle diagnostic skills that textbooks alone could never teach.

Harvey Premier Is Now A Cornerstone Of Training Programs

That innovation quietly reshaped medical education. Harvey became a cornerstone of training programs and inspired the redevelopment of the UMedic computer curriculum, which went on to train tens of thousands of first responders. Today, more than 800 agencies in Florida and over 2,000 organizations across the U.S. and abroad rely on programs born from Gordon’s original vision.

Portable, More Advanced, And Designed To Meet Healthcare System Needs

Harvey Premier builds on that legacy with a modern twist that fits the current moment in medicine. The new version is portable, more advanced, and designed to meet the needs of a healthcare system that values flexibility, realism, and repetition. As simulation-based training becomes increasingly central to medical education, Harvey Premier positions the Gordon Center squarely at the forefront of that shift.

The center is now led by Dr. Barry Issenberg, who continues to expand its reach alongside a multidisciplinary team of physicians, engineers, clinicians, and educators. While Dr. Gordon passed away in 2017, his influence remains deeply embedded in every program the center produces.

The Legacy Lives On

That legacy also lives on through his wife, Lynda Gordon, who remains actively involved through the Michael S. Gordon Charitable Foundation and an endowed chair at the medical school. She has also begun writing a children’s book series inspired by her husband’s life, encouraging young readers to dream big, work hard, and help others, values that continue to define the Gordon Center today.

In an era where medical education is increasingly shaped by technology, Harvey Premier feels less like a product launch and more like a reminder. Some of the most meaningful innovations come from observing how other worlds solve problems, then daring to imagine something better.