Free communication-Commonwealth Medical Association 24th Triennial Conference 2016: Hybrid computer based simulator for heart and lung (SimHaL) disease diagnosis: The concept and implications in medical education

The use of simulations in medical education stretches centuries back, when clay and stone models were used for teaching different diseases. Its value and adoption in medical education has been growing ever since. Simulation Based Medical Education (SBME) has been identified as a valuable adjunct in the training of medical graduates across the healthcare education continuum globally. It provides a new training model beyond apprenticeship based training, enables standardization of educational opportunities, focuses more on patient safety, provide opportunities to learn from errors in a controlled environment and facilitate deliberate practice and mastery of learning.

SBME has progressed rapidly along many dimensions including the simulation technology used. These technology developments range from simple text based virtual patient case studies to use of part task trainers, simulated patients, computer enhanced manikin simulators, and screen based simulators (haptic devices) to advanced complex skills trainers. High fidelity medical simulators occupy one of the extreme ends of use of simulators for medical education. Despite its significant contribution to enhance medical education, it is not without weaknesses. The major limitations are the lack of human touch and human nature and the associated expenses unbearable for many of the developing nations. Therefore the current project on the development of a hybrid-computer based simulator for heart and lung (SimHaL) disease diagnosis aims to bridge these gaps by enabling the use of a real human to mimic clinical signs of heart and lung diseases and is an affordable solution to many nations.