Moulage Concepts Testimonials & Expert Reviews
Professor Lee Lyons
Director of Theatre, Television Production & Broadcasting
California Baptist University, Riverside, California
"Bobbie Merica is clearly the leading international expert in medical-trauma moulage simulation and scenario design. Her depth of knowledge in the methods and materials of this growing field was evident to us at the outset of our training. Her beautifully illustrated book is filled with recipes and step-by-step instructions for producing, literally, hundreds of wounds, diseases, and medical conditions and should be a standard textbook for every nurse and EMS training program in the country.
Bobbie is a consummate educator who has created workshops and training programs that are beautifully designed to take individuals with little or no training in three-dimensional makeup effects, swiftly to an advanced level of proficiency in the manipulation of latex, gelatins, makeup, and painting techniques. She is a master at creating countless realistic wounds and has distilled down the processes for producing them into easily grasped steps.
She has pioneered an economical approach to achieving these effects, combining products available in any local store with advanced makeup products from professional Hollywood manufacturers. One could pre-stage hundreds of wounds for a mass-casualty exercise, following her techniques for assembly and storage, saving both time and money while achieving a high level of realistic sights and smells, that are so important in creating real-world medical training. Whether for live-actor or patient simulator, her methods have been field tested for safety, reliability, and realism.
My students and I were amazed at how quickly we mastered each step in the process of creating countless wounds under her watchful eye and gentle prodding and instructive criticism. She is a natural teacher who can bring out the best in each student and we were the beneficiaries of her great skill and patience. We will be adapting what we have learned from Bobbie to create realistic wounds and trauma effects for use in stage and video productions at California Baptist University and for developing medical simulation scenarios with our nursing program."
Scott A. Hatcher, Firefighter
Pre-Hospital Care Coordinator, UC Davis Fire Department
"We are grateful for the wonderful level of service Moulage Concepts provided for UC Davis Fire Department and Yolo County, it has far exceeded all expectations and made our MCI drill successful. The victim moulage created added a sense of realism and urgency and allowed us to assess our providers in a more realistic manner.
During one of our drills, we unfortunately had one of our volunteer victims cut himself while exiting the bus. The firefighter who treated his real cut said it was almost impossible to distinguish the real wounds from the moulage.
While one of our volunteer victims was walking around the hospital waiting room after being triaged in the ED (as part of the drill), they were approached by several different nurses and even an ER doctor who thought they needed immediate attention.
The After Actions Report created for the drill mentioned the moulage as a success and recommends that the moulage be utilized for all future full-scale, operational drills."
Lori Kloc, MSN, RN, CHSE
Simulation Educator/Learning Specialist, ECAPS Chair 2018, Delta College
"After attending a moulage course led by Bobbie Merica in 2014, I have exclusively used Moulage Concepts products in all my simulation scenarios. Utilizing the SimSafe Nursing Kit, we have achieved all facets of fidelity in hundreds of scenario-based learning activities.
Using the Trauma Kit, we have achieved higher-level simulated injuries that include gunshot wounds, opioid injection site infection, pressure ulcers, embedded glass injuries, and multi-injury auto accident wounds.
I highly recommend contacting Moulage Concepts, and specifically Bobbie Merica, the leader in moulage products and training, if you desire to take your simulation realism to the next level."
Neal Atkinson, MBA
All Hazards Planner, Regional Exercise Team-West, Camber Corporation
"Bobbie Merica and Moulage Concepts provide the highest quality instruction I have been privileged to receive. She created a workshop atmosphere that was not only free of restrictions on creativity but provided an experiential exchange between all the participants and Bobbie.
No students were left behind. Bobbie's teaching style assured that everyone completed the physical experience and understanding of medical moulage. Overall, I would say the instruction offered is the highest quality in the industry, and it has no equal. We will return to use Moulage Concepts and Bobbie Merica for our training needs."
Robin Hopkins-Wright, MSN/Ed, RN-BC
Clinical Educator Chief, Chillicothe VA Medical Center
"While attending the VISN 10 Simulation consortium 2-Day moulage workshop at the Dayton VAMC, I found myself wanting to learn more each day. This trauma moulage training is one of a kind. Bobbie Merica, the moulage instructor, is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, to say the least.
I was creating realistic trauma injuries that were quick and cost-effective. Each of my ED and paramedic friends thought my moulage injuries were real cases, not training scenarios. If you want realism with simulation training, you must go to Moulage Concepts' workshops. You don't have to be a make-up artist. You can be a beginner like me and walk away with skills that will last you a lifetime of training."
Toni M. Christopherson, EdD, MSN, RN, CNS, BC
Clinical Education, Practice and Informatics Director, Yuba Community College District
"Bobbie was instrumental in starting our simulation program. When she arrived our equipment and supplies were in the cabinet and had not been used for simulation learning opportunities. Bobbie, in collaboration with site support, set up an entire simulation center. She met with the faculty as a whole to share a co-constructed vision, and she met with each faculty to develop simulation activities to meet the learning objectives for each course.
She also worked with the local hospital in offering simulation to meet their educational needs. She advised on the design of a simulation center in the new building. She worked well with the team, and it was an honor to work with such a professional. I only hope that I have the privilege of working with her again!"
R. Vance Nesbitt, Coordinator
Simulations Lab Military Medical Training Center, Scottsdale Healthcare, Scottsdale, AZ
"Bobbie's course was amazing. She really took the time to make sure you understood how she made the effects she was showing. The fact that we each received moulage equipment to learn or upgrade our skills was invaluable to the course.
I would recommend that anyone needing or wanting to learn the art of moulage, whether for live actor patients or high fidelity manikins, should go through one of Bobbie's programs, or better yet bring her to your facility to teach. This training covers all aspects of medical education, from mass casualty to pre-hospital trauma to combat trauma."
Jason Torres, Photographer
J. Torres Photography / N.Y. Vintage Cameraworks Ltd.
"Bobbie Merica is a genius in the world of moulage. Her knowledge and expertise is beyond compare. Bobbie is an extremely professional individual and working with her was an amazing and educational experience. As a medical photographer, my work with Bobbie taught me an amazing amount about simulations and their use in clinical skills training."
Professor Lynette Garcia, MSN, PHN, RN
Yuba College, School of Nursing
"As we discovered, it takes more than setting up simulators to create a simulation program. While we had Simulators for several years, the program development truly began when Bobbie came on board. Her experience, hard work, and dedication resulted in a highly successful simulation program at Yuba College.
Bobbie's use of moulage techniques has taken the scenario beyond a patient human simulator experience. The realism of sight, sound, touch and smell takes the nursing students into the real world of nursing and has exceeded all expectations of what we could do in a scenario. Without a doubt, Bobbie has enriched our nursing education experience."
Belinda Schafer, RN/MICN
Paramedic Program Director, Butte Community College
"Bobbie Merica has unparalleled moulage/simulation talent. She is incredibly personable, accommodating and able to 'think out of the box.' The most remarkable example of her abilities occurred when I brought my entire paramedic class to the training center and she set up five concurrent simulations, tailored for EMS. The students found it the most valuable skills experience of the semester. Her moulage skills and ability to set up lifelike situations is second only to the real deal in the field."
Alexis Whitlock
Professional Makeup Artist
"One of the best trainings of my career. Bobbie Merica is a revolutionary in this field. Not only does she deliver a realistic vision of injury, but she engages all of your senses in the process. As a special effects make-up artist working in the film industry, wounds are notoriously painted for dramatic purposes with no real knowledge of how it would bleed, look, nor feel. With Bobbie's training, my ability to create a 'world of hurt' has jumped leaps and bounds."
Jennifer Newcomer
NRP, PI, Deputy Coroner
"The best moulage training I have experienced! The products are very easy to use and wonderfully crafted. CEO and Founder Bobbie Merica presents the classes in such a well thought out and precise easy to follow way that any lay person would be able to take one of her classes and come out feeling like a pro."
Bryan Cotton
EMT-P, CHSOS
"Moulage Concepts sets the example for the rest of the simulation world to follow. We hosted one of their workshops and it was by far the best training on moulage we have ever had. We also bought her moulage kit and between the knowledge gained and the kit, we are able to provide moulage infused scenarios that are mind blowing to our learners. I highly recommend this company and its staff."
Kasey Weigley
Trainer, Firefighter, Paramedic, Learn and Lead
"Hands down best moulage and patient simulation training I have experienced. Bobbie is a true professional and master of her craft. She makes the course practical to application in all situations. I utilize her products, book, and instruction in all my classes. My students and coworkers appreciate the realism and benefit to training.