Submitted By: Howard M. Gregory II
Full Center Name: Skills and Simulation Center – Health Education Campus
Center Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Year Opened: Program 2006; Center 2019
Bragging Points:
Learner Groups Supported
By: Dr. Sydnee McElroy, Justin McElroy
Submitted by: Marsha Harman, Rush Center for Clinical Skills and Simulation, Rush University
AOA is a medical honors society that’s supposed to separate top-tier medical students from the rest of the pack. It helps determine which doctors get the top jobs in the most competitive fields. The problem? There’s implicit racism in the way it chooses members, and fixing it may be a massive challenge.
Lead Author: Maria Baimas-George, MD, MPH
Submitted by Kathy Herzberger, Loma Linda School of Medicine
As a fan of Harry Potter, when I saw the title of this article, I just had to read it. If you are familiar with Harry, then you will enjoy this. The authors hypothesize that with each medical specialty often attracting particular personalities, the percentage of residents who self-sorted into the different Hogwarts' houses would vary depending on their chosen specialty.
Lead author: Wendi F. Cross
Submitted by: Todd Lash, The Ohio State University
Background: Suicide is a national public health crisis and a critical patient safety issue. It is the 10th leading cause of death overall and the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults (15–34 years old). Research shows 80% of youth who died by suicide saw their primary care provider within the year of their death. It is imperative that primary care providers develop the knowledge and skills to talk with patients about distress and suicidal thoughts, and to assess and respond in the context of the ongoing patient - primary care provider relationship.
By: Nicole Lou
Submitted by: Todd Lash, The Ohio State University
Medical schools are preparing students for an uncertain future as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on across the U.S., upending a traditionally rigid cycle of admissions, coursework, and exams. Among the hardest-hit are second-year medical students, many of whom have had their United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 exams suspended, according to Paul George, MD, MHPE, associate dean for medical education at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
By: Gopal Ratnam
Submitted by: Janice Radway, University of Pennsylvania
As thousands of patients struck by COVID-19 rushed to seek treatment in overcrowded New York City hospitals, intensive care specialists more than 350 miles away at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center stepped up to provide remote assistance to beleaguered colleagues in New York. Since the public health emergency and the relaxation of rules, the use of telehealth services has exploded across the country, according to the American Telemedicine Association, which represents hospitals, technology companies and others.
By: George Shand
Submitted by Kathy Herzberger, Loma Linda School of Medicine
This article presents an interesting discussion regarding the development of Open Resource Clinical Assessments (ORCAs). These assessments allow students to utilize internet resources during SP encounters just as physicians do in real practice. Assessing a student’s judgment regarding their choice of resources, interpretation of the information, and their application of this knowledge to the patient’s concern and treatment plan could be valuable in assessing their skill in information management.
Lead Author: S. O’Rourke
Submitted by Kathy Herzberger, Loma Linda School of Medicine
I am personally not a big fan of virtual patients, but the findings in this study have given me pause to rethink my attitude toward virtual vs real patients. Their findings add credence for the use of virtual SPs even when dealing with difficult scenarios such as delivering bad news.
Submitted By: Marsha Harman
Full Center Name: Rush Center for Clinical Skills and Simulation
By: Jennifer Syltie Johnson
Submitted by: Todd Lash, The Ohio State University
When the University of Minnesota announced on March 12, 2020, that all in-person classes at its five campuses were moving to online learning, it was a first in the University’s history. Campus Public Health Officer and Vice President for Clinical Affairs Jakub Tolar, MD, PhD, had announced that all in-person instruction, including clinical rotations, was suspended and moving to alternative instruction a day earlier. On March 13, Tolar’s update included a challenge to colleagues: “Leadership is not measured by meetings or committees,” he wrote. “It is the ability and willingness to stand up to the challenge and deliver a rational, measured, effective response. Over and over again.”
Author: Sarah Mahoney
Submitted by: Janice Radway, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Ajay Paul Singh, a second-year student at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, felt a little nervous enrolling in a medical improv elective. But he says one exercise alone made the sweaty palms worthwhile.
Lead Author: Janna M. Wisniewski, PhD; Brigham Walker, MS
Submitted by: Dan Brown, Emory University School of Medicine
This study used seven Simulated Patients belonging to three ethnic groups (self-reported as white, black, Hispanic) to call 804 randomized physician offices to attempt to schedule an appointment. All patients, if asked, would report being uninsured and paying out of pocket. The black and Hispanic patients were asked about their insurance significantly more frequently than the white patients. They also had a longer average wait time until their appointment.
By: Roberts, Laura
Submitted by Kathy Herzberger, Loma Linda School of Medicine
Laura Roberts, in a well-written piece, reminds us that many of our students, tragically, still face bias, discrimination, microaggressions, and exclusionary practices in medical school. She includes results from the 2019 Medical School Graduate Questionnaire that should make all of us take notice and work hard to help each student we interact with feel respected and valued.
Lead Author: Christopher Magoon
Submitted by: Janice Radway, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Family members should understand their loved ones’ goals and wishes for treatment in the event of critical illness. The COVID era has heightened the need for these conversations, as initial studies show that intubated COVID-19 patients often do not survive.
Author: Weill Cornell Medicine, Office of External Affairs
Submitted by: Catherine Hagele, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
The doctor will see you now – virtually.
By: Ashley Abramson
Submitted by: Marsha Harman, Rush University
As patients turn to telemedicine, doctors must learn to convey empathy over screens. This short article includes some tips and tricks from the medical director of a telehealth service, as well as a discussion of what is gained and lost on video vs. in-person visits. One hospital uses video calls for COVID patients while they are in the hospital so that doctors and nurses can converse with them without wearing PPE, so the patients can see the providers’ facial expressions instead of just seeing a mask. As we are all preparing to offer more “telesim” learning opportunities, I found this article helpful in articulating some of the challenges and opportunities for our learners and our SPs.
Lead Author: Marie-Claire O’Shea
Submitted by: Janice Radway, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
This study describes a telehealth interprofessional simulation-based learning experience with nutrition and dietetics and exercise physiology students. The common practice area of interacting with patients who have type 2 diabetes was targeted, and the simulation was delivered in partnership with simulated patients via a telehealth platform to allow interprofessional teams to work collaboratively in remote locations.
Medically Reviewed By: Wendy M. Yoder, PH.D.
Submitted by: Kathy Herzberger, Loma Linda School of Medicine
These are trying times. I am sure everyone is feeling more anxiety during this period of uncertainty. We are concerned for the health of our loved ones and ourselves. Those of us still working are under more stress trying to develop innovative techniques to continue our jobs. I know I am feeling anxious and tense. This article provides techniques that we have probably heard of before, but it is a nice reminder to know there are positive skills we can insert into our lives to help us remain mentally and physically healthy.
Author: Gadjo Sevilla
Submitted by: Kerensa Peterson, National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners
Role-playing games (RPG) are as old as time, but software developers are integrating RPG logic into many different technologies used within healthcare simulations. As Natural Language Processing and augmented reality technologies become more sophisticated, so do their uses in healthcare simulations. Organizations like the Center for Disease Control and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are investing resources in the development of these training tools which allow learners to try, fail and learn from their mistakes over and over again. Take a look at the article for a link to one of the simulations made public through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Author: Louise Schweickerdt, SP Facilitator, Skills Centre, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa
My corner of the world is a country, renowned to be one of the most diverse and beautiful places on earth. It is also a country that is plagued by realities like planned power outages (load shedding), precarious internet, violence, strikes, horrific roads and a constant and intense awareness that safety, security and/or efficient health services are not a given.