At the start of this year, the Jesuit Medical Society added a patient simulation lab for the junior and senior class. This lab will provide students with an excellent opportunity right on campus without going on hospital rotations. So, I interviewed Mr. Von to learn more about the new SIM lab.

INTERVIEW

Can you explain the basic components and functions of the SIM lab?

The SIM lab looks like a hospital room that would be accessible to our Medical Society’s juniors and seniors. Basically, they get a medical case where they have physiology and the pathophysiology (disordered physiology process associated with diseases). Afterwards, the students learn basic procedures, and actually run the simulation. Inside the SIM clinic, there is a mannequin patient and it’s attached by Wi-Fi, this is done to assist where we can set a scenario, such as a patient suffering from an asthma attack. Then, based on how the students respond to what is happening, the SIM patient actually responds. For instance, if you give oxygen at the right time, then the vital signs will change to account for the fact that you gave it [oxygen]. Overall, the SIM lab is designed to run scenarios so that students can critically think and work in a unique environment.

So, will doctors come to campus and teach the different topics?

So, we have doctors who will come in and teach. Our first round of the SIM lab series will be conducted without the doctors. The reason is that we can learn how to use it right before we train [the students] on how to use it. Doctors will be the ones who run procedural things. Also, nurses will come so students will be able to work with many different physicians and nurses.

Do you think any other classes or groups might use this lab?

We are hoping to expand to other classes like the anatomy & physiology class and a few other student organizations such as the Engineering Society. We can have biomedical engineering lessons and design equipment that we can use for certain things. Hopefully, as soon as the first round is completed this Friday, we will run a few more rounds [this year]. Then, hopefully by that point, we’ll have enough to know how to use it in a bigger class.

Who came up with the idea of the SIM lab?

We came up with the idea of having a SIM clinic a few years ago. This occurred around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic’s beginning. Before [the pandemic], the hospitals had already started to not host [as] many high school interns. So, over time, the number of high school interns decreased. Even though we cannot simulate the hospital setting, we still wanted our Medical Society students to have a unique opportunity of working in a clinical environment.

When I went to a science conference in Saint Louis, they had a similar system like the SIM lab set up for showcasing. It’s used mainly to train nurses and doctors, and it’s not as common to find them in high schools, unless they have a nursing program or something. So, we started talking about [it] and I thought it would be interesting [if] we could bring doctors to teach and help on campus. As COVID-19 came, it became very necessary to have a SIM lab on campus. But, the SIM lab [has] been a very productive and enjoyable experience for our Med Society members!

Stay tuned for more Medical Society activities on The Roundup.