About
The purpose of the Wasson Center is to transform healthcare service professionals through human interaction and simulation methodology applied to individual teaching and assessment and interprofessional education. The Wasson Center collaborates with college faculty, students, and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for optimal student educational experiences designed to enhance culturally congruent care. Utilizing Simulated Patients and other simulation tools, the center provides applied education opportunities for learners to gain the communication and clinical skills to provide optimal care as an individual health care professional and as part of a diverse and inclusive healthcare team devoted to the health care needs of our Northeast Ohio communities and beyond.
MISSION
The Wasson Center foster’s diversity and inclusivity in patient care through collaboration and innovation to transform health care professions education through human simulation methodology.
VISION
To be a model of excellence in human simulation-based education to create transformational health care leaders and teams.
History
In the 1970’s, NEOMED was an early adopter of standardized patient (SP) and clinical/physical exam teaching associate (CTA/PETA) methodology for teaching and assessment in the medical education curriculum. The original Wasson Center was built in 1997 on the southeast end of the NEOMED campus to standardize training and testing students from the College of Medicine who were pursuing an MD degree. The Wasson Center was also used by students and residents from around the region to prepare for national licensure testing and meet resident accreditation requirements. The Wasson Center broadened simulation services as the university expanded degree programs to include the College of Pharmacy and the College of Graduate Studies. Simulation services also rapidly expanded to other Ohio regional universities and colleges health professions’ learners including Advance Practice nurses, physician assistants, and nursing. Additionally, SP methods were adopted by continuing professional education and health and human service professionals in mental health, public safety and geriatrics. Importantly, the Wasson Center collaborated with multiple regional partner universities, colleges, and programs and developed an innovative simulation-enhanced regional interprofessional education and training service. In 2020, the Wasson Center moved to dual platforms to deliver simulation services both remotely and in-person. To reflect the diversity of learners and an enhanced role in formative teaching, the Wasson Center adopted the more inclusive term, simulated patient (SP).
In 2021, the Wasson Center moved to the northeast end of campus to the 2nd floor of the Medical Office Building and continues to provide expertise in the application of human and hybrid simulation methods, both remotely and in-person. The Center also engages multiple external regional partners including advance practice nursing, nursing, nutrition, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and exercise science students to provide simulation enhanced interprofessional education and collaborative practice opportunities.
Highlights
- Over 25+ years of experience in simulation methods to advance education, training, and scholarship.
- Dedicated professional and certified staff for the design and administration of teaching and assessment via simulation methodology.
- Simulation resources include a pool of over 400 diverse trained SPs as well as a library of task trainers for skills development.
- Expertise in standards of best practice for development of simulation teaching and assessment tools for learners.
- Expertise in best practices for SP assessment of interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and non-verbal) and culturally congruent care.
- Dedicated space, software, and hardware for video capture and streaming (14 individual patient counseling/exam rooms & 3 orientation/debrief rooms) of clinical skills assessments (CSAs) and objective structured clinical exams (OSCEs).
- Cloud-based system that allows learners and faculty to participate synchronously or asynchronously in remote CSAs/OSCEs and distance learning.
Contact
Teriah White
Assistant Director, Operations
Phone: 330.325.6745
Email: twhite2@neomed.edu
