(Philadelphia, PA) – The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has a new “model” patient — actually, two. A pair of interactive mannequins, controlled by computer and instructor, will assist with the advanced training of medical students this fall semester.

“Students can now get into levels of learning that go beyond memorization,” explained Andrew Kofke, MD, MBA, FCCM, Director of the Measey Simulation Suite at Penn. “It allows one to synthesize all the data and apply it in a clinical challenge.”

The Measey Simulation Suite features two adjoining suites each with its own multifunction patient simulator. Each simulated patient is connected to a computer that recreates various patient care scenarios, mostly emergency and intensive care scenarios, which the students will then manage through several different responses. These scenarios include difficult airway, shock, and heart attack. Each simulator is equipped with an instructor-controlled microphone that supplies the voice of a complaining patient. The mannequin’s life-like characteristics do not stop there. Each can develop blood pressure and lung problems along with a host of other signs and symptoms frequently seen in emergency cases.

“The advantage is the students will get hands on experience that’s much safer than working on a live patient,” Kofke said. “Students can memorize just about anything, but applying that knowledge is something different. That’s what the simulation suite is for, a place to apply what the students learned.” Gail Morrison, MD, the Vice Dean for Education, stressed the importance of the simulators in Penn Medicine’s global strategy on safety. “The main purpose of the simulators is to create a safe environment in which students can make a mistake, learn from their mistake, and then functional effectively in the clinical setting.”

The Measey Medical Simulation Suite was established by a grant from the Measey Foundation. The suite contains 800 square feet of interactive, multi-media, workspace.

Editor's Note: A hands-on demonstration of the simulator is available to all reporters/media. Please contact Rick Cushman to schedule a demonstration.

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PENN Medicine is a $2.9 billion enterprise dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and high-quality patient care. PENN Medicine consists of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Penn's School of Medicine is ranked #2 in the nation for receipt of NIH research funds; and ranked #3 in the nation in U.S.News & World Report's most recent ranking of top research-oriented medical schools. Supporting 1,400 fulltime faculty and 700 students, the School of Medicine is recognized worldwide for its superior education and training of the next generation of physician-scientists and leaders of academic medicine.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System includes three hospitals, all of which have received numerous national patient-care honors [Hospital of theUniversity of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital; and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center]; a faculty practice plan; a primary-care provider network; two multispecialty satellite facilities; and home care and hospice.