International ACS-AEI Spotlight: Center for Advanced Medical Simulation and Training

The Center for Advanced Medical Simulation and Training (CAMST) in Stockholm, Sweden is Karolinska University Hospital's concept for systematic and advanced medical simulation and training. We provide systematic training of technical and nontechnical skills for individuals and teams ranging from students to professional health care staff. The center has a leading position in systematic education, evaluation, and research in the field of advanced medical simulation. Our vision is to maximize patient safety.

During the past year, many of our activities were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from adapting to a new normal, all our collaborators and staff are continuously contributing with outstanding work in education and research. We have had to modify and adapt our courses and training in order to comply with new rules regarding physical distancing and hygiene requirements. There has also been a shortage of staff, since priority has been given to ordinary health care activities including care of COVID-19 patients. It has sometimes been challenging to maintain training of students, surgeons, physicians, and staff while continuing to secure health care for all.

CAMST had the honor of co-hosting Pediatric Days with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). MSF provides medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from health care. MSF´s actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence, and neutrality. During Pediatric Days, international workshops were performed in order to focus on training in neonatal and pediatric emergency care.

On June 5, 2020, Ninos Oussi, MD, successfully defended his PhD thesis with the title "Is it all about the money? The effects of low and high cost simulator training scenarios in surgical training." Faculty opponent was Professor Martin G. Tolsgaard, Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Dr Oussi is a consultant in general surgery and urology.

Oussi N. Is it all about the money? The Effects of Low and High Cost Simulator Training Scenarios in Surgical Training. PhD doctoral thesis. Karolinska Institutet; 2020. Accessed January 8, 2021. https://openarchive.ki.se/xmlui/handle/10616/47263?_ga=2.43254117.1325112391.1609843225-339655760.1609843225

The COVID-19 pandemic will continue to have a profound effect on society. It is clear that educational crisis management is mandated. When used appropriately, extended simulation training can be a highly effective additional training tool for maintaining technical skills and combating skills decay for temporarily nonperforming surgeons during a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hedman LR, Felländer-Tsai L. Simulation-based skills training in non-performing orthopedic surgeons: skills acquisition, motivation, and flow during the COVID-19 pandemic. Acta Orthop. 2020;91(5):520-522. doi:10.1080/17453674.2020.1781413.

New courses in professional development including stress management have been developed and refined. This is done in collaboration with leading researchers and teachers at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden. A new application using a finite element model (Figure 3) for enhanced learning of human trauma biomechanics in an interprofessional student context has been developed and evaluated at CAMST together with researchers at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Linköping University, University of Gothenburg, and Örebro University in Sweden.

Technology Enhanced Learning of Human Trauma Biomechanics in an interprofessional student context. Published December 31, 2020. Accessed January 8, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6_MbJOPJlU