Dr Jim Gerard (St. Louis Univ) describes his work with BreakAway Ltd and the Virtual Pediatric Simulator designed for combat medics, nurses, and physicians.

1. A VIRTUAL PEDIATRIC SIMULATOR (VPS) FOR
EMERGENCY SCENARIO TRAINING OF MILITARY MEDICAL
PERSONNEL
James Gerard1, Anthony Scalzo1, Marc Auerbach2, David Kessler3,
Todd Chang4
1Saint Louis University; 2Yale University; 3Columbia University; 4Children’s Hospital
of Los Angeles
Serious Game Mindmeld – Oct 1, 2015
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education

2. • VPS developed consisting of 7 screen-based
simulated scenarios for:
– Anaphylactic shock
– Septic shock
– Seizure/apnea
– Respiratory failure
– DKA
– SVT (stable and unstable)
– Bronchiolitis
• Player is an ED physician in the 1st person, non-
linear, no immediate feedback.
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education
Background

3. VPS Screen Shot

4. Timeline

5. Timeline

6. Background
Multi-center study currently underway to collect
evidence to support the validity of the VPS if used as
an assessment tool.

7. Hypotheses
• Subjects with greater subject matter
knowledge will perform better on the
game than those with less knowledge
(discriminant validity).
• VPS game scores will correlate with
scores on a written test covering similar
content (convergent validity).

8. • Evaluate the game on 60 subjects:
– 20 Medical students
– 20 Pediatric residents
– 20 PEM/PCCM attendings
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education
Approach / Design
Written
Test
Game
Demo
Play Scenarios
• Game scores recorded
• 18 subjects video
recorded and game
screens captured
Post-Game
Survey/Interview
(Perceptions Data)

9. Approach / Design
• Based on validation testing and end-
user testing data:
– Refine/further develop scenarios
– Add tutorial mode/real-time feedback
– Make the VPS more “gamey”
• More funding needed to do all of this
right!

10. Future Plan
• Submit data to ONR in November, 2015
along with white paper proposal for
additional funding to further develop the
VPS.
• Propose T1 study to compare simulated
performances of subjects who train on
the VPS versus those who don’t.

11. • P: Medics/physicians in training
• I: VPS training
• C: No VPS training
• O: Performances on simulated
case/cases
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education
PICO Question

12. 1. Best approach to conducting the T1 study?
2. Should we make the VPS more gamey, if so
how?
3. If we develop more scenarios, which are the
highest priority?
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education
3 Questions to improve study

13. Name: Jim Gerard
Institution: Saint Louis University
Phone: 314-577-5360
email: gerardjm@slu.edu
International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education
Contact Information