Activity Bounces Back as COVID Precautions Continue
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, activity in the Clinical Simulation Center, the Resuscitation Sciences Training Center, and the Standardized Patient Program has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels. COVID-19 precautions are continuing with all personnel masked and room size limitations, as well as regularly disinfection practices.
Actual space utilization is higher than pre-pandemic because the number of people allowed in a room is lower than before, thus necessitating additional rooms for many courses.
Leadership Transition
David Rodgers, Manager of Interprofessional Learning and Simulation, will be leaving Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center effective Oct. 1 to take a new leadership role as Direction of the Interprofessional Simulation Center at Indiana University in Bloomington. In his new role he will be leading a newly combined simulation center for IU School of Medicine, IU School of Nursing, and IU Health. He was also appointed an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine.
Interim department leadership is being handled by Heather Boyle, Operations Director for Neurosurgery, until a permanent replacement can be named.
Hershey Simulation Fellows Continue to Advance
Graduates of the center’s Simulation Education and Research Fellowship have been making progress in their medical careers.
- Angel Diaz Sanchez, MD – Angel was our first Simulation Fellow and later became a Simulation Educator in the center. After graduating from his anesthesia residency this summer he is now a staff anesthesiologist at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA>
- Lidys Rivera, MD – Lidys has started her second year as a pathology resident at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
- Daniel Rodriguez Bauza, MD – Daniel is starting his first year as an family medicine resident at Conemaugh Health System in Johnston, PA.
The success of all our simulation fellowship graduates is indicative of their dedication to the program and the quality learning they experienced.
RSTC Changes
Lori Double is now the RSTC Program Manager as Frank Banfer took on a new role with the nurse resource team at Hershey Medical Center. Lori had been coordinating the ATLS program at Hershey. She comes into the position with prior experience as an American Heart Association training center coordinator in addition to her ATLS role. We are now searching for a new RSTC Training Coordinator for the department – https://www.pennstatehealth.org/careers/training-coordinator-life-support-training-courses-resuscitation-science-training.
2021 Publications (so far)
Book Chapters –
- Hales RL & Rodgers DL. Faculty Development for ECMO simulation instructors. In: Johnston LC, Su L, ed. Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation: ECMO Simulation. New York: Springer. 2021: 153-170.
- Rodgers DL & Hales RL. Brain-based learning. In: Johnston LC, Su L, eds. Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation: ECMO Simulation. New York: Springer. 2021: 43-50.
- Rodgers DL. Simulation Operations. In: Soghier L, Robin B, eds. Neonatal Simulation: A Practical Guide. Itasca, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2021: 395-413.
Peer-reviewed Journal Articles –
- Loeffert J, Onks C, Phillips S, Berg A, Rodgers D. Wilderness Medicine Boot Camp for Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellows Goes Virtual: From Uncertain Times Comes a Novel Approach to Traditional In-person Teaching. Interdisciplinary Journal of Virtual Learning in Medical Sciences. 2021; e-pub ahead of print. DOI 10.30476/IJVLMS.2021.89866.1083.
- Hinssen H, Rodgers DL. Modifying Laerdal patient simulators for anterior-posterior defibrillation using live energy with Zoll R Series defibrillators. Paper presented in the Proceedings of the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare. 2021; Available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=3818448.
- Glass M, Rodgers DL. Simulator to Monitor Connectivity Simplified using a BASIC Software GUI. Paper presented in the Proceedings of the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare. 2021; Available at Https://ssrn.com/abstract=3808053.
- Sinz E, Banerjee A, Steadman R, Shotwell MS, Slagle J, McIvor WR, Torsher L, Burden A, Cooper JB, DeMaria Jr S, Levine AI, Park C, Gaba DM, Weinger MB, Boulet JR. Reliability of simulation-based assessment for practicing physicians: Performance is context-specific. BMC Med Educ. 2021; 21:207. DOI: 10.1186/s12909-021-02617-8
- Scicchitano E, Stark P, Koetter P, Michalak N, Zurca AD. Blindfolding Improves Communication in Inexperienced Residents Undergoing ACLS Training. J Grad Med Educ. 2021;13(1):123–127.
