Simulation
We provide simulation-based education to enhance learning, leading to better outcomes and safer journeys for our patients. Through simulated education and immersive technology, we improve clinical effectiveness, patient safety, staff wellbeing, patient experience and productivity.
How we work
The simulation suite at the Undergraduate Academy provides advanced hands-on, in-person medical education. We deploy hi-tech medical "manikins", including full-body models with animatronic physiological responses, as well as other audio-visual systems, actors, virtual reality, and every simulation is bookended with pre- and post-simulation briefings by clinical staff.
The simulation team is made up of nurses, doctors and a technician. The team has extensive teaching knowledge across various clinical backgrounds. Simulation-based education provides a platform whereby clinicians can practice their technical and non-technical skills in a safe learning environment.
Members of the Simulation team and Clinical Teaching Fellows running a simulation from our control room
It all comes together to provide advanced simulated experiences for all medical students at the Academy, from formative Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCEs) to history-taking, skills carrousels and high fidelity scenarios. The simulation team also provides experiences for postgraduate curriculums, and other clinical professions. .
Simulation and Faculty development is important to the team and they offer NHSE Becoming a Faculty Member courses in line with ASPiH standards.
Our advanced medical “manikins” can simulate physiological responses including heart beat, breath, and dilating eyes
An evidence-based journey
The sim suite at WAHT Undergraduate Academy was one of the first dedicated simulation facilities in the country, following our award-winning work on simulated ward environments.
A role player acting as a patient tells a participant about her simulated condition
Simulation-based education (SBE) is now a well-established element in the training of medical students, postgraduates and other clinical professions. And in our suite on the Worcestershire Royal Hospital site we continue to lead the way, deploying cutting-edge medical technology, augmenting simulations with real-life role players acting as patients or family, and developing innovative scenarios which are frequently updated, based on the latest evidence. It all means that students with WAHT Undergraduate Academy can refine and develop in practice the skills they have also been learning in theory.
“… every medical student should have this opportunity.” — a newly-qualified F1 doctor, giving feedback on WAHT Undergraduate Academy simulations
Simulation is not simply a “nice-to-have” or an adjunct to tutorials and hospital placements: drawing on the latest evidence, and based on guidance from NHS Health Education England, through simulated-based education we deliver aspects of Core Medical Training (CMT), including simulation of certain practical procedures, and various non-technical and human factors skills.
"It's so good having these debriefings, being able to think through what we've just seen and done in a way that you rarely get chance to do otherwise." — Year 4 medical student
Candidates taking part in an “escape room” scenario need to work along a chain of clinical reasoning if they ever want to leave the simulation room