Connie Wang is a resident in Anesthesia at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. She spent the month of October at the Center for Medical Simulation on an elective rotation. The goal of the rotation program is to expose residents to the potential and operational use of simulation for education, clinical training and research. Over the course of the month, residents develop simulation scenarios including patient records, plot, setup, debriefing notes, and references.
I have had the most incredible experience at the Center for Medical Simulation. I reflect on this month and am astounded by the knowledge I have gained as well as the progress I have made in the world of simulation. Before taking the simulation elective, my experience of simulation was limited to running through a scenario as a learner. The difference that my sim elective month made was to dig deeper into my understanding of the entire simulation process. It allowed me a chance to witness the technical process of preparing for a simulation. I saw the energy it took to make sure all the details played out correctly. I was also able to experience being a debriefer of a process, instead of just a participant. This elective has taught me that there is an art to debriefing and there are certain ways to approach the debriefing process that can elicit the most from the learners. Everyone at the simulation center is very nurturing and capable. They harbor a safe haven where I felt comfortable learning new skills. Simulation is the past, present, and future… and now I feel prepared to head forward with simulation in my future career.