PCOM Georgia Providing Simulation Training for Residency Program
December 5, 2024
Simulation has become an integral part of residency and medical training, offering
numerous benefits to future healthcare professionals. According to Brian Mann, EdD, MS, PA-C, Chief of Simulation Operations at PCOM, simulation is important because it provides
a safe environment for residents and medical students to practice and refine their
skills without risking patient safety.
“We’re looking to impact patient safety and better the health of Georgians.”
Brian Mann, EdD, MS, PA-C
“At PCOM, simulation is embedded in the medical school curriculum, which starts in
the first week of their first year,” he said. This controlled setting allows trainees
to make mistakes and learn from them, ultimately improving their clinical abilities
and confidence, Mann added.
Now, through an agreement with Southern Regional Medical Center (SRMC), PCOM Georgia is extending its medical simulation efforts to train residents in SRMC’s new, ACGME-approved
Internal Medicine Residency Program. This agreement involves a curriculum that is
developed collaboratively, focusing on human, biomedical, and procedural skills. The
program currently has 15 first-year residents, with the expectation of a total of
45 residents when the program is at capacity.
SRMC Residency Program Director Claudia Fotzeu, MD, MPH, FACP, said the agreement
goes beyond simply meeting a requirement. “It is also a great foundation to learn
the skills that they need to become competent physicians,” she said.
One of the key advantages of medical simulation, Mann explained, is its ability to
expose residents to a wide range of clinical scenarios, including rare and critical
cases that they might not encounter frequently during their training period. This
comprehensive exposure ensures that residents are better prepared to handle diverse
medical challenges when they arise in actual practice. Mann noted that simulation
is particularly beneficial for specialties like emergency medicine and surgery, where
quick thinking and precise actions are crucial.
To maximize these benefits, PCOM has carefully designed its simulation curriculum.
Amy Lucas, Director of Experiential Learning, Assessment and Logistics at PCOM, played
a key role in this process, helping to develop the learning goals, objectives, and
activities.
“Simulation gives you a chance to prepare, practice, and refine the skills that you
have hopefully gained in your medical education,” she said. “It allows you to identify
areas or concepts missing in training and improve overall skills.”
The curriculum was developed to emphasize essential skills such as proper patient
interaction, communication, and procedural techniques. Residents participate in objective
structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and practice various procedures through task
training, such as drawing blood, starting IVs, placing central lines, and performing
pelvic exams. The program is conducted over four sessions each year with residents,
allowing them to grow and develop their skills.
While simulation training offers numerous advantages, Mann acknowledged that it should
not completely replace actual patient care. He stressed the importance of balancing
simulated experiences with real-world interactions. The ultimate goal is to reduce
medical errors, particularly those caused by communication issues, and to establish
strong connections and trust with patients.
Fotzeu emphasizes the importance of building trust. “Our program is primarily based
in medically-underserved populations where we see different reasons for not accessing
healthcare,” she said. “One of the reasons is the lack of trust and I feel like if
we are able to model these humanistic qualities in our physicians in training, that
will help provide equitable healthcare which is much needed for the population we
serve.”
Mann is enthusiastic about the agreement and what it means for PCOM Georgia. He envisions
the collaboration as a way to positively impact patient care and safety on a larger
scale, potentially influencing healthcare practices beyond the immediate program.
“We’re spreading the PCOM training ways and I can only imagine what it means,” he
said. “If we train one person to perform their care with empathy and human skills,
with confidence and building trust, coupled with excellent medical knowledge, and
they take that to their future practice, then this training model will exponentially
affect patient care for the good.”
In the future, Mann hopes to expand the program to include training for clinical faculty
members who precept PCOM students and offer continuing medical education opportunities
for community physicians who want to practice clinical skills in a safe learning environment.
He believes that by training healthcare professionals in these essential skills, the
program can have a far-reaching impact on patient care and the overall health system.
“We’re looking to impact patient safety and better the health of Georgians,” he said.
“It's our chance to affect others—the whole health system.”