Using Simulators for Medical Students and Anesthesia Resident Education

Abstract

Over the last several years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of anesthesia human patient simulators for educational purposes. Full-scale, computer run simulators are currently being used to teach courses ranging from basic instruction of non-anesthesiologists to the more complicated Anesthesia Crisis Resource Management™,¹ for continuing medical education of attending anesthesiologists. At the University of Rochester, the emphasis of our simulator program has been in the education of medical students and anesthesia residents. This chapter will not only provide an outline of the different courses for which we have used the simulator as an educational adjunct, but also to share some of the lessons we have learned that will help in creating a successful educational program.