The Simulation Center at Saint Louis University's School of Medicine integrates the latest advances in simulation technology with impactful curricular design for advanced medical training.
Mission Statement
The Simulation Center provides a psychologically safe, realistic learning environment for medical students, residents, clinicians and other health care professionals at all levels of practice. We serve faculty and other health care educators in designing and deploying simulation experiences that support students’ learning needs.
Facilities and Equipment
In 2024, the Simulation Center underwent a remodel to introduce additional high-fidelity simulation space, increasing its simulation space by an additional 700 square feet. The Simulation Center has multiple high-fidelity manikins, including adult and pediatric models, with vital signs and realistic physical examination findings, such as pupil size, heart sounds, breath sounds, chest wall movement and airway findings.
The Simulation Center also includes dedicated space for procedural training, with task trainers designed for central line insertion, ultrasound-guided peripheral IV insertion, chest tube placement, airway management, cricothyrotomy, lumbar puncture and other invasive procedures. Procedural training is critical in increasing learner confidence and improving patient safety.
About High-Fidelity Simulation
High-fidelity simulation allows small groups of learners to apply clinical reasoning and treatment plans to a clinical scenario with a responsive manikin, with immediate physiological responses. After a simulation encounter, trained physician educators lead learners through a debriefing process that elicits and clarifies learners’ decision-making, synthesizing new insights that can be applied to future instances of patient care.
High-fidelity simulation is a useful educational tool for learners to practice their clinical skills before they progress into real patient environments. Additionally, simulation scenarios can be designed around a range of educational objectives, such as reinforcing commonly encountered clinical knowledge, or exposing learners to high-acuity, low-frequency situations that require timely intervention.
School of Medicine Education
SLU medical students have multiple contacts with the Simulation Center throughout their time in medical school, with encounters gaining complexity as they progress as clinicians.
- Organ modules/courses: High-fidelity simulation scenarios integrating history and physical examination data into a differential diagnosis and treatment plan, with the facilitation of a physician simulation educator.
- Preclinical elective: Basic procedures, such as intravenous line insertion, suturing, and airway management.
- Clerkship elective: Review of basic procedures and the addition of advanced procedures, such as central line insertion, chest tube insertion, and lumbar puncture.
- M4 capstone: Night-on-call simulation experience.
Life Support Training
The Simulation Center offers the American Heart Association's Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training through a blended program, consisting of an online course followed by skills testing on an automated mannequin.
Additional Educational Programs
SLU residents, fellows and faculty also utilize the Simulation Center for high-fidelity clinical scenarios and procedural training. The Simulation Center also welcomes outside groups for their clinical training and continuing medical education.
Interested in Simulation?
If you are interested in using the Simulation Center for a simulation program or ACLS, BLS, or PALS training, please reach out to Tina Chen, M.D., associate dean of simulation and clinical skills. There is no internal fee for SLU programs. External programs are charged a fee depending on the planned event.