Simulator-Based
Education: The Future of CME
 imulation-based
health care education is a field that was pioneered
by anesthesiologists nearly 40 years ago. Numerous
advances in technology and educational organization
have occurred since the early manikin-based models.
Simulators now use highly sophisticated computer algorithms
to model many different medical circumstances and
employ multiple technologies, including virtual reality,
to demonstrate clinical techniques. Simulation centers
exist in nearly every state, many firmly anchored
in anesthesiology departments of our academic institutions.
Simulation has become an important modality for introducing
medical, nursing and paramedical students to clinical
situations. Many anesthesiology departments incorporate
simulation into residency training, although human
resource constraints and clinical workload have limited
the time available for these experiences.
In spite of these major advances in technology and
education science, only recently has health care simulation
begun to develop into the major educational tool that
its progenitors envisioned. A number of factors account
for the increasing popularity of simulator-based education.
The recent introduction of multiple, new, invasive
surgical and radiological techniques requires innovative
methods to train and retrain large numbers of individuals
in a relatively short period of time. The widespread
introduction of problem-based learning to the medical
education curriculum fosters a style of learning that
is well-suited to the simulator center environment.
Recent Institute of Medicine reports on patient safety
stimulated interest in health care simulation because
of the success of simulators in improving safety within
the airline industry over the past half century. Educational
research is demonstrating the success of simulation-based
learning.
Although simulation appears to have great potential,
its use in anesthesiology education has remained primarily
at the medical student and resident levels. ASA, in
conjunction with its members in the simulation community,
is working to expand the scope of simulator-based
learning experience to all members. Two reports in
this issue of the NEWSLETTER describe some
of these activities. The “FAER Report”
on page 43 details the work of young investigators
using simulators as research tools into educational
methods, while Jeffrey M. Taekman, M.D. (page 14)
gives a summary of the ambitious activities of the
Workgroup on Simulation Education as it develops a
program that will allow our members to incorporate
simulation education into their continuing anesthesiology
education and lifelong learning. Please read these
reports. In addition you are encouraged to read the
workgroup’s white paper in its entirety on the
ASA Web site and provide your feedback on the proposals
by completing the brief survey <www.ASAhq.org/ASASim
WhitePaper031506.pdf>.
Simulation-based anesthesiology education holds great
promise as a continuing education tool for the practicing
anesthesiologist. It can provide a safe environment
to learn new techniques or become exposed to new drugs.
It can provide experience in crisis management of
infrequent or rare events such as malignant hyperthermia
or sudden tension pneumothorax. Its greatest contribution
may be in the areas of patient safety and professional
teamwork in the operating room environment. The simulation
center provides a place where teamwork and team management
skills can be learned and refined, a program that
is difficult to teach in the active workplace.
ASA is excited about the opportunity to help expand
simulator-based anesthesiology education to its members.
We hope that you will make a special effort to attend
the simulation demonstration to be held on Saturday,
October 14, 2006, during the ASA Annual Meeting in
Chicago. And we encourage you to take advantage of
other simulator-based educational opportunities as
they become available. Watch the ASA Web site for
further information on the workgroup’s activities.
Simulation-based education can only improve your anesthesiology
skills.
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