Dean's Letter

As the New Year begins, so do our goals to continue building upon the success of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. A primary focus for upcoming years is to significantly increase financial partnerships with alumni, friends, foundations and businesses to grow North Dakota's only medical school into an even stronger institution. The school is fortunate to have talented educators on staff, and they are ready to take the next step in preparing the future generation of physicians, scientists and allied health care professionals, but they need help!

Almost Human

Learning via simulators is nothing new; it has been prominent in the aeronautics field since the 1940s. State-of-the-art medical simulation technology is now available, and the days of "see one, do one, teach one" is quickly changing. With the use of a human patient simulator, a faculty member can now ensure a student has achieved the desired knowledge and skill level before treating a real patient. Imagine what this can mean for confidence building. Imagine what it can mean for patient safety.

I was impressed when I saw these mannequins - at first because they were actually breathing, and then because I learned they were inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide at the same rate as you and me. They are remarkably lifelike, capable of responding to medical treatment and drugs, allowing students to diagnose and administer correct treatments. They can blink, dilate their eyes, drool, bleed, talk and more. Once the instructor initiates the software, the mannequin is completely responsive and no interaction from the instructor is needed (so the instructor can actively guide or demonstrate the procedure). If a procedural error is made, the mannequin responds accordingly. The technology is sophisticated and can provide learning in real-time, and is capable of simulating nearly any possible human medical emergency, including heart attacks, seizures, allergic reactions, effects of nerve gas, drug overdoses or severed limbs to name a few. 

Statewide Benefit

A Human Simulation Laboratory would be particularly beneficial in North Dakota, because aside from students, the lab could also be used by practicing physicians, nurses, EMT's, healthcare professionals, firefighters and law enforcement officers as a tool to learn or refine skills.  That's a powerful asset in a rural state where every healthcare professional may not have the opportunity to practice every procedure they are expected to know.

It is a goal of ours that the only medical school in North Dakota will soon be home to the only Human Simulation Laboratory in the state. This lab will be expensive, but it is a reality through financial partnerships and endowment funding. Our students and citizens are outstanding, and we owe them the best possible education! We look forward to providing this new service in the future.

H. David Wilson, M.D.

Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean

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