SPOKANE, Wash.– The Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine welcomed a new simulator family – SimMan, SimMom, and SimBaby – to its Virtual Clinical Center thanks to a generous gift from Northwest Farm Credit Services.
The high-tech simulators, which can breathe, sweat, bleed, display neurological symptoms, and voice pain, provide an essential link between classroom and clinical training.
Students can take the information they learn in the classroom and anatomy lab and apply it by performing procedures on the simulators to practice real life scenarios. For example, SimMom, which is the most advanced labor and delivery simulator available, will enable students to practice pre- to post-natal care and a range of basic and advanced scenarios for delivery.
“These simulators are an important part of the medical student experience, giving them true-to-life experiences that help them build their skills in tandem with their classroom and clinical work,” said John Tomkowiak, founding dean of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. “We are so grateful to Northwest Farm Credit Services for this incredibly generous gift that will not only benefit our students, but ultimately benefit the rural and underserved communities we are training our students to serve – a mission both of our organizations are passionate about.”
In addition to giving students a fully immersive experience true to complex, real-life situations, the simulators enable them to have the experiences without risks to patients. Students can increase their experience and build confidence through experiential learning, then take their skills into clinical settings across the state.
“The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine brings tremendous value to Washington and the Northwest,” said Northwest FCS Washington President Mandy Minick. “The college’s commitment to placing their graduates in rural communities serves a dire need for access to local health care professionals in the smaller towns throughout the state. Our gift of the simulator family will help the college enhance the health care provided to our region; medical students will have hands-on experiences that will translate to real-life situations; and students deciding where to attend medical school will be attracted to WSU in part because of its advanced learning tools. We’re honored that we could help in their mission.”
Media contact:
- Christina VerHeul, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, 509‑368‑6850, christina.verheul@wsu.edu
