Simulation

This week, I have been facilitating a patient simulator experience for the first year medical students. Patient simulators are interactive mannequins that can demonstrate various physiological and clinical states. The students encounter a clinical scenario, interact with the model to learn the history and perform a physical exam, and interpret data on the monitors (which can be as simple as pulse oximeter and blood pressure to as complex as ventilator management). After determining and instituting appropriate therapy, they can see the physiological effects of their interventions. I think simulators are most useful in teaching response to rare, acute, life-threatening events, and they are often used in anesthesia to prepare someone for events like anaphylaxis and malignant hyperthermia. Although at some levels, the experience feels contrived, it can actually be really fun and educational. After the simulator experience, I walk the students through a chalk talk on the clinical situation. It's really fun for me since it's a topic I really enjoy, and I think the students are able to reinforce what they learn through lecture. UCSF's Kanbar Simulation Center is a fabulous, innovative, and interactive teaching tool.

Image is in the public domain, taken from Wikipedia.