Dr. Eric B. Bauman was in Los Angeles last week for the 2018 International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH). He had the honor of helping induct the second class of fellows into the Society for Simulation in Healthcare Academy, and co-facilitate a workshop on game-development for clinical educators and several panels related to emerging technology and Virtual Reality, as well as participate in the 8th annual Serious Games and Virtual Reality (SGVE) Arcade & Showcase. Several other well known players in the serious games and virtual reality movement also co-presented and facilitated with Dr. Bauman including: Angela Robert of PeriopSim; Jennifer Javornik from Filament Games; Gerald Stapleton from University of Illinois – Chicago, and colleague and collaborator, Reid Adams.
Over the last six months Dr. Bauman collaborated with Jon Brouchoud and his team at Arch Virtual on the VR Airway Lab project. The project won “Best in Show” at the SGVE Arcade & Showcase.
Jon had this to say about the experience: “Attending our first IMSH with Dr. Bauman leading the way was an incredible and timely learning experience. This was a huge year for VR in healthcare as a whole, but equally so for our team’s experience and our platform capabilities. Arch Virtual has taken major strides toward understanding and developing for the specific requirements of healthcare simulation, and IMSH was the perfect opportunity to gather input and further define our strategy going into 2018.”
Dr. Bauman also observed that VR is making an impact on healthcare simulation. “It’s becoming clear people are interested in games, specifically mobile games, and that virtual reality and augmented reality are taking the industry by storm. Many of the VR/AR related events were standing room only, including the VR 101 discussion panel.” He said.
That’s not surprising since VR places or “immerses” learners in a virtual environment where novices learn and experts hone knowledge and skills.
Another consideration is that VR and AR are not solo acts: they don’t replace the fundamentals. Here’s why.
VR and AR are part of the education stack or layered learning paradigm. They enhance traditional didactic practice, such as reading, lectures, and other learning activities. Students still need to read textbooks. Clinical students will continue to benefit from mannequin and standardized patient-based simulation.
However, games and simulations help learners since they serve as a cognitive aid, like a “memory hook” that a learner can refer to when he or she needs to repeat or practice for a procedure. Put on a set of VR goggles and go.
In addition, Dr. Bauman was awarded the IMSH inaugural Leadership Award for Serious Games and Virtual Environments by his peers. Dr. Bauman along with Dr. Jeff Teakman co-founded the Society for Simulation in Healthcare’s SGVE Special Interest Group. Dr. Bauman was instrumental in the establishment of the SGVE Arcade & Showcase as an annual marquee event at IMSH.
