Media Release
Ajman, Oct 28: Center for Advanced Simulation in Healthcare (CASH) at Gulf Medical University concluded its three-day conference themed 'Empowering patient safety' on Thursday October 27 at the GMU campus, here. They called on all healthcare professionals and students in the country to strengthen their co-operation towards patient safety by adopting innovative simulation training and learning techniques in medical learning.
CASH, a leader in medical virtual reality, hosted for the second consecutive year the annual conference on clinical skills and simulation in medical education (GULFSIM) and the simulation championship competition (MEDSIM Olympics) - drawing an attendance of more than 250 delegates from the healthcare sector. They shared key findings on significance of learning through simulation which allows to try, fail and learn without consequence to animal or patient.
The conference was inaugurated by professor Gita Ashok Raj - provost of Gulf Medical University (GMU) in the presence of the chief guest, renowned professor Hossam Hamdy, associate dean of academic affairs, professor of surgery and medical education, College of Medicine, Qatar University and Dr Abdul Ghaffar Alhawi – head of the department, CASH. Mementos of appreciation were awarded to the speakers and sponsors.
Speaking about the conference, Dr Abdul Ghaffar Alhawi said, “We are pleased to host GULFSIM and MEDSIM, now for the second time, which is a very important training method in medical science not just for students but also doctors/surgeons as it reduces the scope for errors and helps in providing quality care. The technological advancements have shifted the way we operate in healthcare. Simulation training is the solution to master complex operations before making the first incision.”
The conference provided a host of learning opportunities, including a keynote on advances in assessment of clinical competencies by professor Hossam Hamdy, and a series of workshops from distinguished healthcare professionals and professors on topics such as: improving patient care at personal, teams and organizational levels, implementing simulation-based education in medical schools, discussing the challenges faced in training etc.
“The conference is an important landmark in the future of medical education, drawing highly experienced participants. I am delighted to be part of such an innovative initiative platform and truly laud GMU’s leadership and vision in providing top-notch education and training,” said professor Hossam Hamdy. He added that GMU’s state-of-the-art CASH centre has facilitated not just practice and rehearsal without patient consequence, but also contributed largely in providing better trained professionals to the country.
On the championship front, more than 15 teams from various private and government institutions participated in MedSim this year. In the championship event, inter-professional healthcare teams were given simulated patient management tasks, requiring them to demonstrate their crisis resource management skills. Professor Hossam Hamdy and professor Gita Ashok Raj honored the winners of MedSim Olympics 2016 trophies, medals, certificates and cash prizes at a special ceremony on the concluding day. Dubai Health Care Authority (DHA) won the championship, followed by Thumbay Hospital (Dubai) bagging the first runner-up title and Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services took home the second runner-up title.
The ‘best scientific poster presentation’ prize was won by Helen Henderson (Khalaf Al Habtoor Medical Simulation Center – Dubai) and Dr Lubna Ahmed (College of Medicine, Gulf Medical University).
Overall, the thought-leadership platform and the championship provided key networking opportunities for medical students and professionals to discuss and learn about the key issues shaping the future of the industry- present and future trends around the simulation in medical education, healthcare services and its associated innovations.
About Gulf Medical University:
The Gulf Medical University (GMU), owned and operated by Thumbay group headquartered in DIFC (Dubai), is presently the most sought-after private medical university in the UAE. It is the first private medical university in UAE catering to all nationalities admitting students of both genders, presently having students from over 73 nationalities and faculty and staff from 22 nations. GMU offers a range of courses including MBBS, BPT, DMD, PharmD and Masters Programmes in clinical pathology, public health, and toxicology. GMU is the first in the region to launch unique programmes like Masters in Human Reproductive Biology, Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences and Masters in Physical Therapy.
GMU’s campus is the venue of both of its dedicated research centres: Centre for Advanced Biomedical Research and Innovation (CABRI), that forms the hub of the biggest laboratory chain in UAE with four full-fledged laboratories and sample collection centers across the various Emirates and the Center for Advanced Simulation in healthcare (CASH), a multidisciplinary educational facility integrating simulation as an educational tool for providing a state-of-the-art, safe learning environment that promotes professional development. Center for Advanced Simulation in Healthcare is a member of various international simulation associations and organizations like Society in Europe for Simulation Applied to Medicine (SESAM), Denmark, Australian Society for Simulation in Healthcare (ASSH), Association of standardized patient education (ASPE), Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH), Canadian Network for Simulation in Healthcare (CNSH), and Association for Simulated Practice in Healthcare (ASPiH) United Kingdom.