Simulation Division

The Simulation Division's mission is to provide innovative, evidence-based, experiential learning that will result in world-class patient care

Intern Introduction

Every July the simulation division provides 12 simulation cases for new interns. These cases involve important illnesses that present to the emergency department often as chest pain, shortness of breath or abdominal pain. We not only cover a wide breadth of core emergency medicine knowledge during our debriefing, but also the general approach to the very ill patient.

Prior to the first simulation session, an introduction is provided on the principles of crew resource management and ideal team-based behavior. The interns are then challenged to practice these behaviors as they resuscitate critically ill patients.

Super Tuesday

The simulation division organizes and conducts Super Tuesday, a monthly simulation-based educational conference for EM residents.

During these conferences, residents engage in experiential learning through immersive simulation scenarios and hands-on procedural training.

Simulation faculty employ innovative strategies and frequently collaborate with other specialties and professions to provide residents with the optimal learning experience.

Pediatric Simulation

During Super Tuesday, we provide pediatric simulation cases to the residents. This experience challenges the learner to improve their care of ill or injured pediatric patient.

Cases range from the more common illnesses seen to those more complex diagnoses in patients, from birth to teenage years with the additional focus of crisis resource management teaching.

Pediatric resuscitation allows residents to learn the best care of the pediatric patient in a safe environment and translate this knowledge into the clinical setting.

Procedural Simulation

Every month, residents are trained in emergency medicine procedures focusing on the core EM procedures as defined by the model of clinical practice of emergency medicine supported by ACEP, ABEM, CORD, EMRA, and the Residency Review Committee for Emergency Medicine.

Training occurs on dedicated task trainers that are either commercially available or created by simulation faculty. Many of these task trainers have been presented at international/national conferences and published in peer reviewed journals.

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Procedural training also occurs throughout the year in the cadaver lab to allow for tissue-based training. Residents are periodically tested in microsimulations that focus on high-acuity, low-occurrence procedures such as cricothyroidotomy and crash central line placement. Throughout the course of residency, the procedural curriculum repeats twice to allow for practice.

Undergraduate Education

The simulation division plays an integral role in undergraduate medical education. We run at least one medical student simulation or procedure lab nearly every week of the year, spread across several EM rotations.

Many of these focus on bread-and-butter emergencies, while others dive deep into subjects like toxicology and crisis resource management. These sessions are consistently well-rated by students and provide opportunities for residents and fellows to hone their educational skills.

Faculty Tuesday

Faculty Tuesday is coordinated by our Vice Chair of Education and occurs at least once per quarter. The sessions are designed for emergency medicine faculty to enhance or refresh their procedural skills.

The simulation division collaborates with ultrasound and airway to provide procedural content and guidance for this important continuing professional development.