Medical Students Demonstrate Simulation and Technology Tools to Inspire Future Lesson Plans
The Burnett School of Medicine Simulation and Technology team set up multiple task trainers and high-fidelity Manikins, Microsoft HoloLens and HoloAnatomy, along with web-based technology such as ScholarRx, Osmosis, Aquifer and MedHub.
FORT WORTH – As faculty and staff watched, medical students went into action to treat a patient with hypercalcemia, a condition in which the calcium level in the a person’s blood is above normal. The students confidently went through the procedures to ensure the patient’s safety and care.
The real-life scenario using a high-fidelity Manikin, a full-body patient simulator that mimics human anatomy and physiology, demonstrated what the Simulation and Technology team could offer for future lesson plans at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University.
“One of the big things about our school is that it is very clinically oriented,” said Quinn Losefsky, MS-4 at Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. “These Manikins can be programmed to do the correct human response or physiology that you do to it during a procedure. It’s also helpful to us if our faculty members are thinking of real-life cases while they are teaching us.”
The simulation team set up multiple task trainers and high-fidelity Manikins, Microsoft HoloLens and HoloAnatomy, along with web-based technology such as ScholarRx, Osmosis, Aquifer and MedHub.
“When creating curriculum for students a lot of the things you can forget about are the hands-on portions,” said Corbin Santana, Mixed Reality Specialist at Burnett School of Medicine. “Things like simulation allow you to get in these really critical situations and allows students to put those things into practice and make mistakes and learn how to improve.”
Simulation training has been an integral piece of medical education at the Burnett School of Medicine.
Simulation provides an environment for students to apply their knowledge and experience; safely build confidence in clinical and technical skills; and make decisions without actual risk to patients. The collaboration between faculty, staff, departments and the community allows the medical school to construct simulated scenarios that compliment and support the curriculum.
“Whatever learning objective you have in clinical medicine we can set that up here,” said Karim Jamal, Assistant Director of Clinical Skills, at the Burnett School of Medicine. “I think the most important thing is to have your learning objectives and then set it up in a simulated environment. We can build an infinite number of cases.”
Studies have shown that the information retention rate among medical students is higher when simulation is incorporated. Brandon Mallory, MS-4 at Burnett School of Medicine, added that he learns better getting firsthand experience and immediate feedback from faculty.
“Instead of reading about what a cardiac arrest looks like why don’t we use a part of class where we run a cardiac arrest,” Mallory said. “Have students think on their toes and use the knowledge they are learning to solidify that information.”