Development of Interdisciplinary Simulations
that Promote Vertical and Horizontal
Integration in Undergraduate Medical
Education
University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Laurel Gorman PhD
Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
David Harris, PhD
Assistant Professor of Physiology
Drexel University College of Medicine
Kathy Ryan, MD
Director of Medical Simulation
Interdisciplinary vs Interprofessional
Interdisciplinary – Involving two or more academic, scientific,
artistic areas of knowledge
eg. Learning physiology with biochemistry
Interprofessional --- two or more professions in health and
social care learn together
eg. Medical students, nursing students, social workers
HFMS: Tool for vertical &
horizontal integration
• What do we mean
by integration?
• Why do we
integrate?
• How is it done?
The UCF COM as
example
HFMS: UCF Preclinical Curricular Scheme
HFMS HE
CardioPulmonary
HFMS HF
Endocrine
Reproductive
HFMS COPD
Renal/ GI
HFMS DKA
MuscleSkeletal
Brain
Behavior
Microbiology, immunology
antiinfective pharmacology
Septic
Shock
Cardiogenic
Shock
Asthma
COPD
Pneumonia
Renal
Failure /HF
Neuro
SIM
Lower cognitive
Higher Cognitive
Create/Design
Evaluate
Analyze
Apply
Understand
Remember
complexity
Experience - Increasing
Scaffold
Cognitive
Higher
cognitive
Lower
Ideal Design Scaffolds Experience
Basic Sciences Integrated UCF COM HFMS:
Cognitive Level M1
6
5
Anatomy
4
Physiology
Pharmacology
3
Pathology
2
Clincial
1
0
Diabetic ketoacidosis
COPD
Heart Failure
Heat exhaustion
Basic Sciences Integrated UCF COM HFMS:
Cognitive Level M2
5
Microbiology
4
Physiology
3
Pharmacology
2
Pathology
Clincial
1
0
NeuroSim
Heart/Renal Failure
COPD/Pneumonia
Asthma
Cardiogenic Shock
Septic Shock
Cognitive Level Per Blooms
Taxonomy Rating
6
Where Does One Start??
• Develop Learning Objectives
– This should direct everything: materials, fidelity,
evaluation
• Think About The Number of Learners
– This will affect scheduling, traffic flow, resources
• Think About Time
– It will take longer to develop a simulation scenario
than to prepare a lecture
– How to fit the simulation into class/rotation time
Three Phases of Running a Simulation
• Orientation to the exercise
• Running the simulation
• Debriefing-time allotted should be at least as
long or longer than running the simulation
Workshop activity
1. Identify target audience (1st years, 2nd years etc)
2. How to fit it into a curriculum? (what gets dropped to make
room?)
3. Design a scenario.
a. Interdisciplinary objective
b. Environment of simulation
c. SIM personnel
d. Case narrative, patient info, labs
e. Debriefing topics
Challenges/barriers?