Peter M. Winter Institute for Simulation, Education and Research (WISER)

At WISER — one of the most advanced simulation centers in the country — students and seasoned health care professionals work with computerized training mannequins that can be programmed to replicate a vast array of medical situations in both clinical and non-clinical settings.

An Emphasis on Active Learning

Innovative approaches to learning are the central focus at WISER, and many learning opportunities are interactive. Classroom technology allows students to answer questions immediately, and instructors to determine how students are comprehending information.

In WISER’s mock operating room, instructors can program timed symptoms into mannequins, requiring the team working in the simulation to initiate a series of protocols to stabilize their “patient.”

Many WISER educational exercises are videotaped for further discussion, or electronically shared with other sites for long-distance learning activities.

Focusing on Patient Safety

The two biggest obstacles to providing care in a medical helicopter are noise and limited space. To address this concern, WISER designed a training room that replicates the interior of a helicopter, including a sound system pumps in the realistic level of noise.

The institute also teaches proper safety techniques for the use of advanced technologies, such as surgical lasers, and fire prevention in oxygen-rich environments like operating rooms.​