Medical Simulation in Radiology Training and Assessment – A New Paradigm Based on a Systems Approach
William E. Lewandowski, MS
Simbionix USA Corp; PhD Candidate, School of Health Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
Address for correspondence:
1353 Sterling Place
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Tel: 386-868-3703. Mobile: 304-283-3487.
Fax: 866-642-8899.
Email: bill@welewandowski.com
Abstract
The use of simulation devices in the acquisition, assessment and maintenance of clinical skills has been the subject of much discussion in clinical journals. The integration of high-fidelity, computer-based simulation into interventional radiology curricula, to date, has been limited, which has often been attributed to concerns related to a perceived lack of the validity of simulation as a training modality; however, interest in its use in education and assessment remains strong.
In many clinical journal articles, the effectiveness of a given clinical skills simulator is often evaluated against an existing "gold standard" (a current, accepted method of instruction) that may or may not have been subject to objective evaluation and validation. A paradigm shift to an instructional systems approach, where the effectiveness of a simulation is based on its ability to meet identified learner and organisational needs, as part of an instructional system, will provide for both the effective use of simulation and a logical framework for its validation as such. Using this methodology, the validation of the simulation, as part of an instructional system, is determined by its measured ability to accomplish individual and organisational performance objectives, as opposed to being a comparison to an existing instructional method. The instructional systems approach paradigm will provide both a roadmap to integrate simulation into curricula and meaningful data to evaluate its effectiveness.
William E. Lewandowski, MS, is the US Director of Marketing for Simbionix USA Corporation, a US-based producer of medical simulation and education products. He has over 20 years of experience in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of simulation in the aviation, defense, and medical industries. He has published and presented in a number of international peer-reviewed venues on both simulation and instructional design. Mr. Lewandowski is a retired US Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel and a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College. He holds a Masters degree in instructional and performance technology from Boise State University and is pursuing a PhD in health sciences at the University of Liverpool. His professional affiliations include the American Society for Training and Development, the International
Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), the National Training Systems Association (NTSA), and the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSIH).
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