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The Goodman Simulation Center will incorporate simulation-based techniques to select, train, credential and retrain physicians and other healthcare professionals.
The Goodman Simulation Center is part of the Stanford University School of Medicine’s overall simulation strategy under the aegis of the Center for Immersive and Simulation-based Learning (CISL), headed by Associate Dean David Gaba, professor of anesthesia.
“We’ve never had this type of training before—but even the most experienced surgeon, anesthesiologist and nurse can benefit from practice on those rare but potentially high risk surgeries that we don’t practice continually,” Gaba explained. “In addition, simulators allow everyone to practice new procedures and to finetune our teamwork skills.”
Gaba is quick to add that there is no substitute for the real thing. “No one is suggesting that healthcare can do without lots of experience with real patients. But, for many situations, the ‘real thing’ is not encountered very often, so when it does occur we need to feel comfortable. Simulation practice allows us to become systematic about our initial and recurrent experiences while we tackle real surgeries that present in a wide range of difficulty and variation.”
The Center will be a place for residents to practice core surgical skills such as suturing, knot tying, and incision biopsies. Trainees can also practice placing central and arterial lines, as well as perform laparoscopic cholecystectomies—all before performing these procedures on patients. “Augmenting surgical training with simulation allows the maneuvers to be practiced over and over until mastered,” he said.