The patient, whose name is Perry, says he's not feeling well. A small group of students examining him find that his pulse and heartbeat are irregular and his blood pressure is dangerously high. Perry seems to be breathing with some difficulty. His gaze appears lifeless. His flesh has the color of beige plastic.

Perry is a SimMan, a high-tech patient simulator with a realistic human anatomy and clinical functionality. He is used to train and test students' clinical and decision-making skills during scenarios mirroring real patient encounters.

Simulation in clinical training is rapidly becoming the standard in health professions education. Simulators are useful not only for developing clinical skills, but also for training interdisciplinary teams in providing coordinated care. In fact, the role of simulation experiences is increasingly emphasized by a wide variety of health care regulatory organizations.

The new UCSF Kanbar Simulation Center opened its doors earlier this year on the Mount Zion campus. The center is led by Manuel Pardo, MD, professor in the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care. It provides medical students, residents and other health professionals with a learning environment in which they can practice skills ranging from the patient interview, physical exam and clinical procedures to teamwork and communication.

Students then receive feedback on their activities and have the opportunity to incorporate that feedback into additional training. They can practice the same skill repeatedly to master intricate procedures, such as spinal taps, without any risk of harming patients.

Beside Perry the SimMan are two full-sized female patient simulators equipped to simulate obstetric procedures. In addition, four task rooms feature a variety of specialized simulators in both adult- and child-sizes, which allow students to practice specialized skills such as injections, suturing, CPR, and placing a central line.

For teaching faculty, the Kanbar Simulation Center is the ideal place to develop, stage and perform controlled learning experiences. Center staff with expertise in simulation-based health education support the faculty.

Pardo has extensive experience with simulation environments, having been in charge of the Anesthesia Simulator Center at San Francisco General Hospital since 2000. He sees the new center as evolving parallel to the needs of curriculum development, and he works with course directors in designing learning experiences that take optimal advantage of simulation technology.

"Our aim is to help course, clerkship and residency directors enhance the outstanding clinical training they provide in the UCSF environment. Simulation-based training can address gaps in clinical experience and allow deliberate practice of important skills."

Currently, the Kanbar Simulation Center is located in the Hellman Building at Mount Zion, but eventually, it will be incorporated into the Parnassus Library's planned Learning Center. This new, larger space will allow for greater expansion of the facility and offer a more central location for students. The Learning Center will also incorporate the School of Medicine’s Clinical Skills Center, now located on Scott Street near Mount Zion.

Originally published in Academy 08 (pdf), the annual publication of the Haile T. Debas Academy of Educators.