Behold, the MHAM CM Simulation Center for Integrated Teaching and Training Innovation…
In keeping abreast with the latest simulation’s technological breakthrough and innovation, MHAM takes pride upon the advent and creation of the MHAM CM Sim CITTI (Simulation Center for Integrated Teaching and Training Innovation) which is something to boost and to look forward to, becoming the very first in the Visayas region.
This has been divulged by the MHAM CM College Dean, Dr. Ma. Socorro Manaloto, who have participated the Simulation Faculty Development Workshop at the Centre for Healthcare Simulation, National University of Singapore (NUS) last February this year.
Joined by the Sim CITTI Core Group; Dr. Axel Elises, Dr. Ma. Louella Quijano, Dr. Donny Jay Yu, Dr. Elmer Lopez, Dr. Ted Marcerey Gallo and Dr. Princess Lorezo, the newly-appointed College Dean reiterated that the establishment of the Sim CITTI as a Simulation Center is a new strategy in teaching and in learning wherein students can learn the clinical skills in a very safe environment before they are sent to the actual patients.
As mandated by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to put up a Skills Laboratory and Simulation Center for all medical students prior to their exposure to the actual patients, the proposed Sim CITTI which will be put up at the new building in Banawa came to its birth after some of the MHAM team went to NUS late last year for benchmarking.
Thereupon, seven faculty-doctors were sent to NUS last February this year to attend a two-set workshop which was centered on “Fundamentals of Simulation-Based Healthcare Education” and “Debriefing in Simulation-Based Healthcare Education”.
MHAM CM Chief of Clinics, Dr. Axel Elises…
In a separate interview with MHAM CM Chief of Clinics Dr. Axel Elises, the name was derived after he coined it from a popular console video game series designed and developed as an open-ended city-building known as ‘simcity’, thus, the Sim CITTI was born.
“The Sim CITTI is a way of integrating teaching, bridging what we learn from the classroom to the hospital. Sometimes the problem is, after the intern graduates and then goes to the hospital, even the basic skills and procedures are unmindfully carried out. Somehow, we can make a smooth transition for them that after they graduate from the school, they are at least prepared and adequate enough for whatever skills they have acquired from the school through the Sim CITTI”, said Dr. Elises.
Just like the simcity game which simulates life, Dr. Elises also added that the Sim CITTI as it was named, was conceived after he joined the MHAM team who visited the construction site in Banawa and saw the vastness of the space with an area of 1,800 square meter- a space like having a city. Taking cue from other Simulation Centers outside the country, the newly-appointed Chief of Clinics presented it to the Core Group to complete his inspiration, thus, the Sim CITTI came up to its existence. “It might be the first fully-functional and well-equipped Simulation Center with the presence of high fidelity mannequins. As far as I know, we will be the first to have high fidelity mannequins among the medical schools here aside from Nursing”, he concluded.
The MHAMentor behind the name: Chief of Clinics Dr. Axel Elises
Moreover, the idea of putting up the soon-to-be the first Skills Laboratory and Training Center in the region which is intended for MHAM undergraduates will soon expand to other medical professionals in the coming years.
The relevance in establishing the Sim CITTI will allow MHAM students to learn the clinical skills in a very safe environment before they are sent to the hospitals and will soon apply their training rooted from the simulated scenarios. (Ana Liza Abao)