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Ailyn Agonia
Doha
WEILL Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) held a tour for members of local media and guests of its newly expanded and upgraded state-of-the-art facility renamed 'Clinical Skills and Simulation Lab (CSSL)' purposely designed to support the training of medical students and healthcare practitioners in Qatar in a risk-free environment.
The facility hosts a variety of educational modalities to satisfy a wide array of learning objectives. Formerly known as Clinical Skills Center, the 10,500 square feet facility features 12 clinical examination rooms fully equipped with hi-tech equipment including lifelike medical mannequins that are able to simulate a vast range of symptoms, from a racing heartbeat and dilated pupils, to a swollen tongue or a full-blown seizure, among many others - all controlled remotely by a technician.
Students working with the mannequins can practice responding to an almost limitless array of conditions as if they were in a real emergency room, such as a cardiac arrest, respiratory infections, heatstroke or even childbirth.
Dr Stella Major, Associate Professor and Director of the CSSL, led the tour of the facility which she said was fashioned to cater to twice the number of students in the same amount of time. The CSSL, she added, was put together by a team of five, including CSSL Manager Lan Sawan, in collaboration with various departments of the College.
"The new CSSL offers learners at WCM-Q the opportunity to benefit from the facilities during their medical training. Students now have the chance to practice and perfect a wide range of communication and procedural skills before entering the real world of patient care. While in clinical training the students can also benefit from the centre by using it to augment their skills and address their skill gaps and needs in a safe environment, to attain a very high level of proficiency. This will help them to be extremely well prepared for the demands of modern medicine," said Major.
Each examination room of the upgraded facility is fully equipped with diagnostic instruments for examining the ears and eyes and measuring blood pressure and temperature. Students learn to utilise these instruments under instructor supervision and with the help of 'standardised patients' individuals trained to play the role of patients.
Other facilities in the revamped suite include hi-tech training aid for practicing administering joint injections, taking blood samples, inserting intravenous lines and using portable ultrasound machines. There is also a cardiopulmonary patient simulator and a variety of 3D anatomical models. The CSSL also has a newly updated high-definition audio-visual system with remotely controlled cameras placed in strategic locations.
Syeda Razia Haider, a third-year medical student at WCM-Q and was part of a team which demonstrated the new facility during the launching event, shared her experience with CSSL.
"It gives a real feel of what's happening in a real clinic with real patients such as the dynamics in a delivery room during childbirth. The baby (mannequin) itself has the feel and weight of the real baby and so it's like you are really in the moment. We get a diverse experience through CSSL," she said.
"At WCM-Q, we have always been enthusiastic early adopters of new technologies that enable us to continuously enhance the standard of education we offer to our students and the re-launched Clinical Skills and Simulation Lab adheres to this principle. The new facility not only brings WCM-Q up to date with the latest innovations in medical education but puts us ahead of the curve, which will be of enormous benefit to both our students and the patients they will care for after they graduate," WCM-Q Dean Dr Javaid Sheikh remarked on the occasion.
