University of Pittsburgh

Simulation Technology

Simulation in UPSOM Medical Education

Background

Technology applications in medical education have greatly facilitated student motivation, learning, and assessment. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has pioneered development and utilization of simulation technology. Over two decades, progressively higher fidelity simulations have been introduced throughout the required and elective curriculum.

Goal

The underlying goal of simulation technology education is to provide students with hands-on deliberate practice without posing any risk to patients.

Implementation

Faculty were encouraged by the Curriculum Committee and administration to embrace these new technologies. Implementation and assessment were supported by the University and outside sources.

Overall, every student spends at least 25 hours in learning activities using high-fidelity, whole body simulators, and an additional 26 hours using task trainers. There are many additional hours spent with standardized patients, virtual patients, etc.) Four-fifths of students have additional experiences using high-fidelity simulators during their elective courses (an average of 39 additional hours per student).

Specific examples of simulation experiences for every student include:

  1. Clinical Procedures Course – A half-day at the WISER Simulation Center developing airway management skills, plus sessions on vascular access, urinary catheterization, and lumbar puncture using task-specific models.
  2. Cardiac auscultation instruction using the HARVEY simulator.
  3. On-line virtual laboratory on differentiating between smallpox and chickenpox.
  4. CPR and automatic external defibrillator training, initial and re-training
  5. Internal Medicine Clerkship – Four half-days at WISER on learning and assessment on acute cardiopulmonary conditions.
  6. Anesthesia Clerkship – Four 75-minute simulation sessions at WISER.
  7. Surgery Clerkship—90 minute session on trauma resuscitation.
  8. Family Medicine Clerkship – Breast, pelvic, and prostate exam techniques on specific models.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elective experiences with simulation include:

  1. Critical Care Medicine (110 students, 22 hours each) – Daily sessions at WISER on the spectrum of critical care techniques, crisis management, and specific clinical scenarios.
  2. Emergency Medicine (85 students, 8 half-days each at WISER) – Sessions to develop knowledge and skills in acute care assessment and resuscitation, including ACLS.
  3. Get Ready for Residency (31 students, 22.5 hours per student) – Sessions on the knowledge and skills essential for dealing with common and serious in-patient problems.
  4. Anesthesia (41 students, 6 hours per student) – Progressively advanced sessions at WISER on anesthesia techniques and emergencies.
  5. Science of Resuscitation Integrated Life Science course (8 students, 15 hours) – Students learn cardiac resuscitation in the simulator setting as a complement to journal club, evidence-based medicine, animal laboratory, and human electrophysiology laboratory experiences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 


Impact

Integration of simulation technology throughout the entire medical school curriculum has proven to be a valuable learning adjunct that has been well accepted by students and faculty. Utilizing the full spectrum of simulation technologies, from desk-top programs and low fidelity devices to state-of-the-art, high-fidelity, whole body simulators, permits optimization of teaching and learning approaches, matching of content and teaching modalities, and accommodation of student and faculty preferences. It has ensured student exposure to critical cases and content that would otherwise be only intermittently available and has filled gaps in the clinical curriculum.

Review additional examples