Simulation Center Helps Students Explore Careers in Health Care

Stethoscopes at the ready, students from Milwaukee’s South Division High School listened intently to Simon’s heartbeat. Each of them nodded as they recognized the familiar “lub-dub” of a healthy heart. A few seconds later, students heard a new sound — one student described it as a “swishing” noise. That sound meant Simon had a heart murmur.

“A heart murmur indicates a problem with blood flow,” Jean Morzy, MSN, RN, CHSE, at Froedtert Hospital, said to the group. “For example, a heart valve may not be working properly.”

Simon is not a human patient; he is an interactive mannequin and a valuable teaching tool inside the Froedtert & MCW Simulation Center. The Simulation Center, or SimCenter, is a dedicated 11,000-square-foot space inside Froedtert Hospital for training and hands-on learning opportunities. It features a surgical skills lab and simulated clinical environments with observation and debriefing rooms. The SimCenter is mainly used by clinical staff, but it is also where the health system hosts its High School Experience Program.

“Our High School Experience Program is designed to introduce students to careers and professions within health care,” Morzy said. “We talk about the roles of physicians and nurses, but we also hope to open their minds to the less obvious positions. You can be a dietitian, a pharmacist, a medical assistant; you can even explore a career in digital health.”

The group of freshmen from South Division High School is one of several high school groups to take part in the High School Experience Program. The visiting students typically study related health and science topics as part of their school curriculum, then visit the SimCenter to see what they’ve learned come to life.

Some of the activities include visiting a simulated operating room and learning how to gown up for a surgery. Students also work with a virtual reality headset to understand human anatomy and physiology by identifying specific bones and muscles. They even use a voice-assisted mannequin to learn CPR techniques.

“Whether the students are interested in pursuing a career in health care or not, they walk away with skills they can use,” Morzy said. “We strive to make this type of difference in the community. A school group learning CPR with us is 10 more people who now know how to do compressions and could help save a life.”

The SimCenter at Froedtert Hospital is made possible by the Froedtert Hospital Foundation.

Sim Center