COVID-19 during pregnancy and its impact on the developing auditory system.

Background: This study compared distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and click-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) recorded from infants whose mother had Covid-19 during pregnancy (Covid-19 group) to infants whose mother did not have Covid-19 (Control group) during pregnancy.

Methods: This study retrospectively examined records of infants in the Covid-19 group (n = 15) and control group (n = 46) who had distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and click-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) recorded as part of their clinical assessment. DPOAE amplitudes, absolute latencies (I, III, and V), and I-V interpeak intervals were examined.

Entry-Level Spatial and General Non-verbal Reasoning: Can These Abilities be Used as a Predictor for Anatomy Performance in Veterinary Medical Students?

There is currently limited available information, but growing interest, in possible relationships between spatial visualization skills in medical students and their academic performance in select areas of the curriculum such as radiographic interpretation and anatomy. There is very limited comparable information on how entry-level spatial visualization skills may correlate with macroscopic anatomy performance in veterinary medical students exposed to an integrated curriculum. The present study made use of a battery of two short tests that measure spatial ability: Guay's visualization of views test (VVT) and mental rotation test (MRT) and, one test that measures general non-verbal reasoning abilities: Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices Test, short form (APMT).

An augmented reality tool for learning spatial anatomy on mobile devices.

Augmented Realty (AR) offers a novel method of blending virtual and real anatomy for intuitive spatial learning. Our first aim in the study was to create a prototype AR tool for mobile devices. Our second aim was to complete a technical evaluation of our prototype AR tool focused on measuring the system's ability to accurately render digital content in the real world.

Spatial and Visual Reasoning: Do These Abilities Improve in First-Year Veterinary Medical Students Exposed to an Integrated Curriculum?

Spatial visualization ability refers to the human cognitive ability to form, retrieve, and manipulate mental models of spatial nature. Visual reasoning ability has been linked to spatial ability. There is currently limited information about how entry-level spatial and visual reasoning abilities may predict veterinary anatomy performance or may be enhanced with progression through the veterinary anatomy content in an integrated curriculum.

Anatomy-Specific Virtual Reality Simulation in Temporal Bone Dissection: Perceived Utility and Impact on Surgeon Confidence.

Objective To evaluate the effect of anatomy-specific virtual reality (VR) surgical rehearsal on surgeon confidence and temporal bone dissection performance. Study Design Prospective pre- and poststudy of a novel virtual surgical rehearsal platform. Setting Academic otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency training programs.

A randomized controlled trial on 2 simulation-based training methods in radiology: effects on radiologic technology student skill in assessing image quality.

Introduction: A simulator for virtual radiographic examinations was developed. In the virtual environment, the user can perform and analyze radiographic examinations of patient models without the use of ionizing radiation. We investigated if this simulation technique could improve education of radiology technology students.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in high school using avatars in virtual worlds: an international feasibility study.

Background: Approximately 300,000 people suffer sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) annually in the United States. Less than 30% of out-of-hospital victims receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) despite the American Heart Association training over 12 million laypersons annually to conduct CPR. New engaging learning methods are needed for CPR education, especially in schools.

CliniSpace: a multiperson 3D online immersive training environment accessible through a browser.

Immersive online medical environments, with dynamic virtual patients, have been shown to be effective for scenario-based learning (1). However, ease of use and ease of access have been barriers to their use. We used feedback from prior evaluation of these projects to design and develop CliniSpace.

Training healthcare personnel for mass-casualty incidents in a virtual emergency department: VED II.

Introduction: Training emergency personnel on the clinical management of a mass-casualty incident (MCI) with prior chemical, biological, radioactive, nuclear, or explosives (CBRNE) -exposed patients is a component of hospital preparedness procedures.

Objective: The objective of this research was to determine whether a Virtual Emergency Department (VED), designed after the Stanford University Medical Center's Emergency Department (ED) and populated with 10 virtual patient victims who suffered from a dirty bomb blast (radiological) and 10 who suffered from exposure to a nerve toxin (chemical), is an effective clinical environment for training ED physicians and nurses for such MCIs.

Methods: Ten physicians with an average of four years of post-training experience, and 12 nurses with an average of 9.

The use of virtual patients to assess the clinical skills and reasoning of medical students: initial insights on student acceptance.

Background: Web-based clinical cases ("virtual patients", VPs) provide the potential for valid, cost-effective teaching and assessment of clinical skills, especially clinical reasoning skills, of medical students. However, medical students must embrace this teaching and assessment modality for it to be adopted widely.

Method: We examined student acceptance of a web-based VP system, Web-SP, developed for teaching and assessment purposes, in a group of 15 second-year and 12 fourth-year medical students.

Improvement in coronary anastomosis with cardiac surgery simulation.

Objective: Cardiac surgery trainees might benefit from simulation training in coronary anastomosis and more advanced procedures. We evaluated distributed practice using a portable task station and experience on a beating-heart model in training coronary anastomosis.

Methods: Eight cardiothoracic surgery residents performed 2 end-to-side anastomoses with the task station, followed by 2 end-to-side anastomoses to the left anterior descending artery by using the beating-heart model at 70 beats/min.

Design, development, and evaluation of an online virtual emergency department for training trauma teams.

Background: Training interdisciplinary trauma teams to work effectively together using simulation technology has led to a reduction in medical errors in emergency department, operating room, and delivery room contexts. High-fidelity patient simulators (PSs)-the predominant method for training healthcare teams-are expensive to develop and implement and require that trainees be present in the same place at the same time. In contrast, online computer-based simulators are more cost effective and allow simultaneous participation by students in different locations and time zones.

Virtual patient model for multi-person virtual medical environments.

We describe the architecture of a virtual patient model, the Virtual ED Patient, for scenarios in emergency medicine. The model is rule-based, and uses four vital signs as a representation of its state. The model is used in a multi-person learning environment based on online gaming technology.

Simulation for team training and assessment: case studies of online training with virtual worlds.

Individuals in clinical training programs concerned with critical medical care must learn to manage clinical cases effectively as a member of a team. However, practice on live patients is often unpredictable and frequently repetitive. The widely substituted alternative for real patients-high-fidelity, manikin-based simulators (human patient simulator)-are expensive and require trainees to be in the same place at the same time, whereas online computer-based simulations, or virtual worlds, allow simultaneous participation from different locations.

Criterion-based training with surgical simulators: proficiency of experienced surgeons.

Objective: In our effort to establish criterion-based skills training for surgeons, we assessed the performance of 17 experienced laparoscopic surgeons on basic technical surgical skills recorded electronically in 26 modules selected in 5 commercially available, computer-based simulators.

Methods: Performance data were derived from selected surgeons randomly assigned to simulator stations, and practicing repetitively during one and one-half day sessions on 5 different simulators. We measured surgeon proficiency defined as efficient, error-free performance and developed proficiency score formulas for each module.

Virtual worlds and team training.

An important component of all emergency medicine residency programs is managing trauma effectively as a member of an emergency medicine team, but practice on live patients is often impractical and mannequin-based simulators are expensive and require all trainees to be physically present at the same location. This article describes a project to develop and evaluate a computer-based simulator (the Virtual Emergency Department) for distance training in teamwork and leadership in trauma management. The virtual environment provides repeated practice opportunities with life-threatening trauma cases in a safe and reproducible setting.

Stanford university medical media and information technologies hosts open source surgical simulation workshop.

Stanford University Medical Media and Information Technologies's technical workshop "Prototyping of Surgical Simulators using Open Source Simulation Software" was held in August 2006 at Stanford University. The objectives, program, and topics covered are presented in this short report.

Virtual worlds for teaching the new CPR to high school students.

In this study we created a virtual 3D world for learning to manage medical emergencies and evaluated it with 24 high school students in the USA and Sweden. We found that students in both groups felt immersed and found the online simulation easy to use. Scores for flow and self-assessed flow were significantly higher for the RHS group as compared to the HG group (p=.

Avatars alive! The integration of physiology models and computer generated avatars in a multiplayer online simulation.

In a mass casualty incident, injured and at-risk patients will pass through a continuum of care from many different providers acting as a team in a clinical environment. As presented at MMVR 14 [Kaufman, et al 2006], formative evaluations have shown that simulation practice is nearly as good as, and in some cases better than, live exercises for stimulating learners to integrate their procedural knowledge in new circumstances through experiential practice. However, to date, multiplayer game technologies have given limited physiological fidelity to their characters, thus limiting the realism and complexity of the scenarios that can be practiced by medical professionals.

A framework for evaluating new learning technologies in medicine.

The SUMMIT Evaluation Framework provides a comprehensive model to guide researchers, developers and curriculum decision-makers in conducting the most relevant type of evaluation for a range of learning technologies. In this poster we present the framework and give examples of how we have used it to guide our evaluation efforts.

Comparison of training on two laparoscopic simulators and assessment of skills transfer to surgical performance.

Background: Several studies have investigated the transfer of surgical trainees' skills acquired on surgical simulators to the operating room setting. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two laparoscopic surgery simulators by assessing the transfer of skills learned on simulators to closely matched surgical tasks in the animal laboratory.

Study Design: In this post-test-only Control group study design, 46 surgically naive medical student volunteers were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Tower Trainer group (n = 16), LapSim group (n = 17), and Control group (n = 13).

Initial evaluation of a shoulder arthroscopy simulator: establishing construct validity.

Formal evaluation of surgical simulators is essential before their introduction into training programs. We report our assessment of the Mentice Corp Procedicus shoulder arthroscopy simulator. This study tests the hypothesis of construct validity that experienced surgeons will score better on the simulator than individuals with minimal to no experience with the technique.

Development and validation of assessment measures for a newly developed physical examination simulator.

Objective: Define, extract and evaluate potential performance indicators from computer-generated data collected during simulated clinical female pelvic examinations.

Design: Qualitative and quantitative study analyzing computer generated simulator data and written clinical assessments collected from medical students who performed physical examinations on three clinically different pelvic simulators.

Setting: Introduction to patient care course at a major United States medical school.