Simulation and Skills Centre
November 8, 2024 2025-03-10 17:53Simulation and Skills Centre
Simulation and Skills Centre
The UGHE’s Simulation and Skills Center is a critical component of the institution’s mission to radically change the way health care is delivered around the world. The center offers a safe, immersive environment where students and professionals can refine their clinical skills, improve decision-making, and prepare for the challenges they will face in real-world medical settings.
About The Simulation Lab
Mission
To provide a dynamic, immersive, and safe simulation environment that equips both emerging and established healthcare professionals with the critical knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to reduce morbidity and mortality from medical errors and decision-making as they serve in the workforce.
Vision
To become the regional center of excellence in healthcare simulation, committed to innovatively advancing medical practice and research while nurturing competent healthcare professionals who will deliver patient-centered care that enhances patient safety and health outcomes.
Key equipment at the center includes
- 4 High-fidelity manikins: These include an obstetric manikin for maternal and neonatal simulations, two adult male manikins for general medical and trauma training, and one newborn manikin designed for pediatric care.
- 2 Anatomage tables: Virtual dissection tools that provide an immersive exploration of human anatomy using 3D models.
- Several task trainers and low-cost simulation models: Covering a range of essential procedures like IV insertion, chest tube insertion and airway management.
- 1 Cardiology patient simulator, 2 ventilator machines, 1 Universal Anesthesia Machine (UAM)
- Consumables and additional medical equipment: Supporting the various clinical scenarios practiced at the center.
Training and courses
The UGHE Simulation and Skills Center provides a comprehensive range of training programs, catering not only to UGHE’s medical students but also to practicing healthcare professionals.
These include:
- MBBS simulation training: Integrated into UGHE’s basic medical sciences and clinical curricula,the UGHE’s simulation program emphasizes real-world application, enabling students to develop both technical, non-technical (eg: communication) and critical thinking skills.
- Simulation Instructor Course: Designed to train and certify UGHE faculty and clinical/nursing educators at partners’ institutions in delivering and debriefing high-quality simulation-based education. This course, delivered annually, attracts participants from across the region and plays a key role in building local capacity for simulation-based training.
- Specialized training for practicing doctors, nurses, Non-Physician Anesthetists (NPA): The center regularly hosts specialized courses for healthcare workers from public hospitals across Rwanda. These trainings focus on improving clinical skills in areas such as emergency care (BLS, ALS), anesthesia & critical care (Mechanical ventilation) and trauma care (ATLS).
Staff and expertise
The Simulation and Skills Center is staffed by a dedicated team of professionals:
- 1 Simulation Manager: An MD and lecturer responsible for overseeing the center’s operations and strategic direction.
- 2 Simulation faculty: Both MDs and lecturers who deliver the simulation training integrated into UGHE’s curriculum.
- 1 Simulation technician: Provides technical support and maintenance for the center’s equipment.
Achievements and impact
The UGHE Simulation and Skills Center consistently delivers high-impact education, ensuring that both students and practicing professionals are well-prepared to manage complex medical scenarios with confidence and competence. The center’s emphasis on practical, hands-on learning has significantly enhanced the quality of medical education across the region, making it a key contributor to advancing healthcare training.
In recognition of its dedication to excellence, the center was awarded the 2023 ASPIRE Certificate of Merit in Simulation by the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) at the AMEE conference in Glasgow. This international recognition highlights the center’s commitment to innovation, quality in simulation-based education, and continuous faculty development. The center remains focused on upholding rigorous standards in simulation training and advancing its impact within the healthcare education landscape.
