Contact: Ginny Person
Prince William County, Virginia
Department of Economic Development
Cell: 571.641.1293 | Office: 703.792.5518
gperson@pwcgov.org
For Immediate Release
Professions Quest’s flagship title Mimycx enters beta test phase
December 1, 2014 - Prince William County, Va. – Professions Quest, a Virginia Serious Game Institute
startup business, announced today that its flagship title Mimycx has entered beta test phase and is set to
debut at the Interservice/Industry Training Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC).
Mimycx, an innovative, massively multi-player online (MMO) serious game, was created to bridge a gap
in healthcare higher education inter-professional communications and cooperation. Mimycx will allow
healthcare professional schools across the country to offer students a novel and entertaining way to
interact online with each other, while fostering the development of communication skills and core
competencies, that are critical in the patient/population-centered care field. The MMO game design
combines medical-based learning with the fun of an arcade game of futuristic world quests and multiplayer adventures. A trailer for the game is available at: http://professionsquest.com/products.
John Damici, Project Manager, Professions Quest said, “Key to the success of our new product
development is the Virginia Serious Game Institute, which has been instrumental in our ‘excellerated’
performance as a new small business. The beta test phase marks an important milestone achievement
for Professions Quest and Mimycx, which will bring us one step closer to a full version release.”
Currently, Mimycx is in a closed beta testing session with pre-approved healthcare institutions. During
the initial beta test phase, users will experience Mimycx in a tiered approach, designed to illicit feedback
on how well the game succeeds in meeting its goals of being fun, informative and educational. Users
can explore the world of Mimycx on their own, form healthcare teams of up to five members and take
on quests together; all while being evaluated on their performance and interaction.
“As testing progresses and the full version is developed, the true power of Mimycx will be in its ability
to represent all sixteen healthcare professions and to test users on Inter-Professional Educational
Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies,” added Larisa Odessky who is a recent PharmD fellow with
the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) and was brought on to help with the game
content.
“A key goal in the design of Mimycx is a new approach to learning that creates benefits not yet
discovered through any other virtual or e-learning educational vehicle. The beta test phase is essential
to ensuring we meet our goals by soliciting feedback from the actual educational institutions and
students Mimycx is designed for,” added Odessky.
The Mimycx game environment is set in the future and allows students to step outside the traditional
health care group learning projects, while learning new communication techniques and how to interact,
collaborate and form cohesive teams within the various healthcare professional fields around the
country.
“Not only will this platform provide each user with a fun and engaging vehicle to master interprofessional collaborative practice, but it also has the potential to build new professional relationships
and knowledge exchange to improve the healthcare industry in the future.” said Dr. Scott M. Martin,
Founding Director, Virginia Serious Game Institute.
To learn more about Professions Quest, schedule a demonstration or learn about the Virginia Serious
Game Institute’s entrepreneurial opportunities, visit company representatives at: Booth # 421 at the
I/ITSEC 2014 Conference being held December 1 – 5, 2014, in the South Concourse of the
Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida or visit: www.professionsquest.com or
contact: Dr. Scott M. Martin at: smartin@professionsquest.com
About Professions Quest
Professions Quest was started by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) in 2014
to develop inter-professional educational systems to fill the gap in the current education curriculum.
Headquartered in the Virginia Serious Game Institute at the Prince William campus of George Mason
University, the team has grown and expanded to meet the demands of the project, providing additional
jobs and opportunities for graduates and students from Mason and beyond. For more information
about Professions Quest visit: www.professionsquest.com.
About Virginia Serious Game Institute
The Virginia Serious Game Institute (VSGI) was formed as an extension of the George Mason
University Computer Games Design program and the Mason Entrepreneurial Center. Its mission is to
provide a facility to promote applied research, community outreach, and serve as a start-up accelerator
for businesses interested in the serious games industry. In this role, the VSGI provides valuable
resources and mentorship to graduates and students as they enter the workplace and put their degrees
to good use. To learn more about the VSGI, visit http://game.gmu.edu/sgi/ or Tel: (703) 993-4574.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
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In October 2013, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors granted $32,000 from the
County Economic Development Opportunity Fund to the George Mason University (Mason)
Foundation Inc., to help secure the establishment of VSGI. Emerging companies that are
chosen to reside in the VSGI will receive business assistance services through the Prince
William County Department of Economic Development as well as from Mason.
The VSGI is located at George Mason University – Prince William Campus, Bull Run Hall,
Mason Enterprise Center, 10900 University Boulevard, Manassas, VA 20110.
Prince William County provides access to an outstanding talent pool of highly-skilled, culturally
diverse labor; 41% of the workforce has 4-year degrees.
Located less than 20 miles from the nation’s capital, Prince William County encompasses a total
area of 348 square miles and is the 2nd largest county in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
75% of Northern Virginia’s 1.1 million workers live within a 30 minute one-way commute to
the center of Prince William County during rush hour.
A pro-business community, Prince William County ranked #8 nationwide for job growth by
CNN Money. Over the past decade, the County has experienced a 57% increase in the number
of business establishments.
Prince William County carries a AAA bond rating from all three of the major credit ratings
agencies (Fitch, Moody’s and S&P).