CERMUSA Telehealth Research Specialist Brenda Guzic and John Lutz of the University of Pittsburgh Peter M. Winter Institute for Simulation, Education, and Research (WISER), had a poster titled, “Medical Simulation at a Distance,” accepted for presentation at the 11th International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare in January 2011, in New Orleans, LA. In addition, Ms. Guzic was invited to serve on a panel of experts to discuss “Simulation-Enhanced Distance Learning: Local Training, Rural Outreach, and International Collaboration.”

The poster presentation (pictured right) depicts the research CERMUSA and WISER conducted regarding training prehospital care providers in remote and medically underserved areas using medical simulation technology and distance learning methodology. WISER used its Advanced Prehospital Airway Management (APAM) course, and in collaboration with CERMUSA, used distance education methodologies and technology to teach students approximately 70 miles away from the instructor based at WISER. Using a combination of video teleconferencing technology, remote computer management software, and distance education techniques, a group of instructors located in Pittsburgh successfully simultaneously taught students in Johnstown, PA (67 miles distant) and on the campus of Saint Francis University (77 miles distant). The classroom portion of the course consisted of didactic lectures with opportunities for dialog with instructors and hands-on simulations with full-scale human simulators. The students completed satisfaction and post-assessment surveys; overall they were very satisfied with the experience and improved on their assessment after instruction.