Frequently asked questions
Simulation Training and Innovation Center (CFIS)
✦ What is the CFIS?
We are a training and innovation center that ensures the transfer of knowledge based on simulation as a learning tool that improves the well-being of citizens.
The Center for Training and Innovation in Simulation began its career in 2016. However, it has professionals with more than 20 years of experience in medical simulation.
This center provides ideal conditions for working in medical simulation environments in any of the basic clinical skills. The main intention of the center is to offer excellent training conditions in order to competently train health professionals and thus reduce the rate of medical error.
✦ Which institution is the CFIS a part of?
The CFIS is a center that is part of the Rovira i Virgili University and depends on the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Objective and Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE)
✦ What are OSCE?
The OSCE is a clinical competency assessment test that serves to objectively assess skills and attitudes in certain clinical situations. Unlike regular written exams, where knowledge is primarily assessed, the OSCE aims to assess whether basic competency levels have been achieved during undergraduate training.
To assess clinical competence, the OSCE tests measure a series of pre-defined competence components. They are usually the following:
Anamnesis, physical examination, communication skills, management plan, interprofessional relations and technical skills.
This evaluation is done by observing the students' performance in simulated clinical situations. Each clinical situation is called a station and can reproduce different healthcare environments, usually consultation areas with patients. In each station, the competence components that have been defined based on the characteristics of the case are assessed. Simulated patients (standardized patients) as well as manikins, images (pictograms) and reports are used to develop the case.
OSCE were introduced by Harden et al (1975) and described by Norman (2002) as the gold standard for clinical assessment. Therefore, they are an ideal tool to demonstrate whether students are able to apply the knowledge acquired.
✦ What are OSCE for?
The OSCE tests are not only another competence assessment strategy, but also aim to improve the clinical competences achieved during the courses. In addition, they make it possible to detect what are the shortcomings in the practical development that the future graduate may have and contribute, in this way, to the permanent improvement of teaching and learning in the first years of the degree or master's degree.
The evaluation of these tests integrates learning-oriented evaluation, a term initially coined by Carless (2003) and claimed by authors such as Boud and Falchikov (2007) or Bloxham and Boyd (2007), and allows many of the challenges to be addressed that the European area of higher education poses to university teachers.
✦ What is the history of OSCE in the faculty?
The administration of OSCE tests at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the URV began in 1995, thanks to the initiative of the Institute of Health Studies to develop a new model of competency assessment clinical and professional. In the first years, the tests were launched with the collaboration of different teachers who wanted to innovate in the field of competence assessment, since the classic assessment methods did not allow to accurately and effectively assess important aspects for the exercise of the profession. ACOE Medicine tests are currently organized with the collaboration of the Department of Health of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Sixth year Medicine students take the test during the last quarter.
As a result of the accumulated experience in the Medicine degree, the dean's team thought it appropriate to apply this test to the Human Nutrition and Dietetics and Physiotherapy degrees. The specific characteristics of the professions of dietitian-nutritionist and physiotherapist forced the development of a specific design that ensured the acquisition of skills linked to these two professions. The OSCE tests were introduced for the first time in the Human Nutrition and Dietetics and Physiotherapy degrees of the URV during the 2013-14 academic year.
✦ What is a clinical simulation?
A clinical simulation is a learning tool. Should a trainee meet directly with real patients? If airmen spend hours and hours flying in simulators, why shouldn't a doctor? How are simulation practices integrated into the training program of a faculty? To be able to do a job well, you must first know what the job in question is like. Being a good medical professional requires hours of practice. An arc of knowledge that has traditionally fallen to the actual patient as a practical tool. But wouldn't it be much more effective to have a prior method that would allow medical professionals to see their first patient when they are already fully competent in their field? This is where the importance of performing clinical simulations with simulators or simulated patients lies.
✦ What are simulated patients?
Historically, students of medicine and the medical professions have been encouraged in theoretical content, a fact that contrasts with the final practice, which is very much based on dealing with the patient. A tool was needed that would allow students to put into practice their communication skills and the ability to interpret symptoms about a patient without putting the patients' health at risk. This is how the simulated patients, "actors", are born, who emulate certain symptoms in a standardized way and which allow you to practice these skills in a safe and risk-free environment.
✦ What is a high-fidelity simulation?
A high-fidelity system is one that integrates multiple physiological variables managed by advanced technology computing systems, both hardware and software, to increase the realism of the simulation.
These systems allow practice in complex clinical situations such as intensive care emergency care, endotracheal and retrograde intubation, needle cricothyroidotomy or cardiopulmonary resuscitation in children and adults, among others.
✦ What training offer does the center have?
The training offer of the center is very wide. We have a training offer for professionals, students, citizens, schools and municipalities.
✦ How can I find out about the training offer?
All training offers will be announced on our website constantly. It will be indicated at all times which training, courses, activities, seminars or workshops are in progress and which have already ended.
Reservation of spaces and loan of material
✦ How can I make a material request?
If you need to make a formal request for material or equipment for the center you must fill in the form corresponent dins de la secció préstecs, indicant en tot moment el material o equipament que es necessita, responsable, data d'entrega, etc.
✦ How can I make a request to reserve space/s in the center?
If you need to make a formal request to reserve space/s at the centre, you must fill in the form corresponding within the loans section, indicating at all times the different spaces that are needed, specifying the days and hours, as well as the person responsible.
✦ Can SVB training equipment be reserved by schools?
The center makes available to the schools all the material and equipment necessary to train all students in Basic Life Support, it is essential to fill out the form corresponding within the loans section, indicating the different required data such as: school, person in charge (trainers), material, delivery date, etc.
✦ How can I collaborate with the center?
If you want to make a contribution or collaborate with the center you can send us your proposal explaining what it is about from the tab Contact