The Center for Simulation and Innovation is a state-of-the-art, multimillion dollar mock clinical facility for students and the community. The educational Center is a resource for all of Arizona, fulfilling a mission to continually improve health care. The Center is one of the largest centers of dedicated simulation space at any university in the United States.

The 33,000 square-foot facility is housed in three wings with 14 fully equipped mock hospital rooms and sophisticated high fidelity and virtual reality equipment.

The Center, which opened in July of 2012, provides interdisciplinary medical education through the use of mockup scenarios and procedure-based training; thus reducing medical errors and improving the quality of care, positively affecting the residents of Arizona and beyond.

Students are in the ‘sim lab’ all four years, which is unique across other medical schools. Students receive hands-on exposure well before treating a real patient. The Center ultimately better prepares students for their residencies. In addition, students can train on some of the most technologically advanced equipment, including ultrasound technology.

No, but many medical schools provide some level of simulation training. At the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix, the Center for Simulation and Innovation is integrated into all four years of medical training and supports many student led extracurricular activities.

The simulation center supplements classroom learning with comprehensive clinical exposure, feedback and evaluation that enhance individual and team skills before encountering patients.

Going beyond procedural based training, the Center focuses on communication, decision-making and leadership skills. These skills are necessary for today’s medical professional.

The Center allows students to develop and improve diagnostic skills and patient care communication all with the supervision of highly trained faculty and experienced medical professionals. Training includes ultrasound techniques, procedural skills, urgent cardiac interventions, patient safety and medical care throughout the life span.

No. Simulation compliments and prepares students for clinical training but does not replace it. While the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix does not have a teaching hospital on campus, the Center for Simulation and Innovation gives students a realistic clinical setting. The College has excellent clinical partners, where students gain irreplaceable experience. These partners include Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Maricopa Medical Center and the Phoenix VA Health System. Using outstanding simulation technology, the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix campus prepares its students for excellence with the most technologically advanced learning experience possible.

Having a simulation center has enabled the college to use fewer animal products. For example, students practice on synthetic suture pads and use virtual reality to cement anatomical knowledge.

Our primary audience is the students at the Phoenix Bioscience Core. This includes students from the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix, UA Nursing and UA Pharmacy, as well as students in NAU’s Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Occupational Therapy and Athletic Training programs. We also support our clinical partners with training space and events.

We are proud to be a resource for the entire Phoenix community. Emergency Medical Technicians, paramedics, local physicians and nurses have utilized the facility for specialized trainings and certifications. To request a quote for your event, please email @email.

The mannequins are manually controlled to talk, sweat, breathe, cough, groan and emulate a variety of medical conditions. Mannequins have audible and adjustable heart, lung and bowel sound, as well as palpable pulses. These capabilities allow the simulation center to provide life-like medical situations for learners and allow educators to effectively evaluate students’ interventions.

The mannequins range in cost from $50,000 to $110,000.