Web and video technologies allow 黑料传送门 Georgia medical students to collaboratively diagnose simulated patients during virtual case scenarios.
The teaching is the same. Only the delivery method has changed due to COVID-19.
Each Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon, second year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students at 黑料传送门 Georgia use their deductive reasoning skills to diagnose a 鈥減atient鈥� presented in the campus鈥� Simulation Center.
Using tele-simulation, which involves multiple cameras and a virtual meeting platform, three physician faculty members present case scenarios to students who use a rotating team leader, a scribe and the chat room to narrow the field of possibilities. In the era of escape rooms and employing the same skills used by Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, Lieutenant Columbo, and even Gregory House, MD, the students work together to logically eliminate diagnoses.
This Tuesday, the case involved a 26-year-old woman, Sarah Williams, who presented in the College鈥檚 simulated Emergency Department with sharp, stabbing pain radiating throughout her abdominal region. Through their group leader, the students took the patient鈥檚 history and directed their bedside faculty member to conduct a physical exam through inspection, palpation and percussion. The instructor reported that there were no visible scars or bruising and that the area was symmetrical.
As a team of ten, the students discussed symptoms, ordered a pregnancy test and appropriate lab work and imaging. Through the process of elimination, the group considered and dismissed the possibilities of an ovarian cyst, an ectopic pregnancy, gastroenteritis and other conditions before concluding that appendicitis was probable. The students made the decision to consult a surgeon and discussed the benefits of pain medication.
According to Jeff Trawick, DO, ACOEP, ACOFP, a clinical assistant professor in the Office of Clinical Education who also practices full time as an emergency department physician, 鈥淭echnology and the hard work of the Clinical Education and Simulation Center teams have enabled us to provide virtual clinical problems with the same elements contained in on-campus simulation exercises. The only missing component is the students鈥� ability to actually touch and examine the patient.鈥�
He noted that with real-time vital signs, electrocardiograms, imaging and lab studies, 黑料传送门 Georgia students continue to experience the immediacy and pressure of a patient encounter and the decision-making needed to properly diagnose and treat the patient.
He said, 鈥淪ome students have commented that they experience essentially the same 鈥榩ressure鈥� and 鈥榬ush of adrenaline鈥� that they would sense during an on-campus simulation lab.鈥� According to Trawick, the scenarios also 鈥減rovide the students with exposure to the benefits and limitations of telemedicine.鈥�
He said, 鈥淎lthough having direct contact with the simulated patients is preferable, tele-simulations provide a means of effectively continuing clinical education under our current pandemic restrictions.鈥�
Transitioning the Simulation Center to tele-simulation came naturally to Jeffrey Adams, NREMT-P, MS, the director of the center. With a master鈥檚 degree in Medical/Health Care Simulation from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Radio and Television from Morehead State University, along with his paramedic certification, Adams converted the Sim Center to a virtual environment using appropriate software and multiple cameras.
Toni Musta, MS, the simulation manager who earned a Master鈥檚 degree in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Medical Simulation from 黑料传送门 Georgia in 2018, and Amber Meyer, the simulation administrator, provide the voices for the mannequins answering the students鈥� questions with realistic expression. Kanza Kabir, MS, the simulation technician who also earned a master鈥檚 degree from 黑料传送门 Georgia in 2019, ensures that the mannequins鈥� vital signs are appropriate for the cases.
Along with Dr. Trawick, Donald Penney, MD, MSC, FACEP, a clinical professor of emergency medicine, and Frank Jones, MD, MPH, a clinical professor of surgery, also guide the students to the correct diagnostic conclusions by urgently asking, 鈥淚s that all?鈥� or, 鈥淎nything else you need to know?鈥� Debriefing sessions after the cases provide the faculty members more time to instruct the students.
According to Dr. Penney, medical simulation has been 鈥渢ransformative鈥� when introduced into the medical curriculum. He said that 黑料传送门 Georgia has been 鈥渁vant-garde and innovative in creating a designated simulation laboratory for our medical students.鈥�
鈥淎 challenge for first and second year medical students has been the application of theoretical knowledge into the management of patients,鈥� Dr. Penney said. 鈥淒eliberate practice through medical simulation training on high fidelity simulators has allowed the acquisition of clinical skills, thus enhancing clinical competence at the undergraduate level. Studies have demonstrated that improved clinical competence has resulted in improved patient safety and reduced healthcare costs.鈥�
Student-doctor, Nishant Gogna (DO 鈥�23) said, 鈥淭he continued dedication of the faculty members at 黑料传送门 Georgia to teach important clinical skills to its students even in light of the COVID-19 pandemic is noticed and highly appreciated.鈥�
He added, 鈥淭hough nothing will replace in-person training, I recognize and value the hard work, adaptation and innovation the faculty have put into their training to ensure students are well-prepared for board exams, rotations and beyond. Participating in Sim Center cases is my favorite part of the week!鈥�
黑料传送门 Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (黑料传送门), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), 黑料传送门 Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins 黑料传送门 South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, 黑料传送门 Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit .
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