RVH and Georgian College partner to further health care education in Simcoe Muskoka

Resident physicians from Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre’s (RVH) Family Medicine Teaching Unit (FMTU) experienced hands-on obstetrics training with high-fidelity manikins at Georgian College this week. The two organizations are longstanding partners in furthering education and building the healthcare workforce in the region.

While RVH boasts an impressive array of medical simulators, none have obstetrical capabilities. Fortunately, among their extensive, world-class simulation equipment spread across multiple campuses, Georgian possesses high-fidelity manikins, including manikin newborns, that can replicate births and obstetrical emergencies.

We’re excited to partner with RVH and the FMTU for joint obstetrical simulation training sessions at Georgian to enhance healthcare capacity in the region. These practical training sessions were held in our high-fidelity simulated learning environment that is a safe and controlled space, permitting the residents to experience and participate in life-like scenarios. Through this collaboration, we will further enhance and strengthen our continued partnership with RVH while assisting in the strengthening of our local workforce.
– Treva Job, Manager, Simulation Centre at Georgian College

Three people stand around the legs of a high-fidelity manikin, lying on a hospital bed, that is simulating a postpartum hemorrhage. — Dr Jessie Weaver, Maternity Lead for RVH’s Family Medicine Residency Program, takes resident physicians Dr. Chris John and Dr. Noah Yang through an emergency obstetrical simulation with one of Georgian College’s high-fidelity manikins.

Physician residents receive practical experience in safe, immersive environment

Simulators have become an important part of medical training, helping learners identify gaps in knowledge and practice, allowing for targeted educational interventions that further improve competencies and ensure they are well-prepared for real-world situations. Having access to Georgian’s training technology means FMTU residents on their obstetrics rotation will now receive practical experience to develop and refine skills and improve clinical expertise in a safe and immersive environment.

Among those who participated in the training were about nine FMTU residents, medical professionals from RVH, including a respiratory therapist, emergency medicine physician, intensivist and medical director, and family medicine physicians that specialist in labour and delivery, as well as Georgian Health, Wellness and Sciences leadership, professors and simulation specialists.

This joint simulation event was an amazing opportunity for our FMTU residents to get hands-on experience with challenging obstetrical procedures in a realistic, high-tech, low-risk, and safe learning environment. Georgian College’s specialized obstetrics simulator complements our own advanced simulation equipment at RVH and rounds out the experience we can provide learners. We’re really excited about this partnership and what it means for improving healthcare in Simcoe Muskoka. A big thank you to Georgian College for sharing their amazing facilities with us. This collaboration truly enhances RVH’s medical education program and helps us better serve our community.
– Dr. Chris Martin, RVH Intensivist and Medical Director, Education

Georgian, RVH have longstanding, collaborative relationship

As the largest family medicine residency program in Simcoe Muskoka, RVH’s FMTU is a vital source of new family medicine physicians, helping to improve the availability of family medicine physicians in the area. Since it began in 2009, the FMTU has trained 116 family medicine residents, with 66 staying in the area to set up their own practices or take over practices for retiring physicians, provide temporary coverage for area physicians or work in RVH’s Emergency, Hospitalist and Palliative departments.

RVH and Georgian, which has its Barrie Campus right next to the hospital, have a longstanding relationship of mutual collaboration. This simulation event is another example of their strong practice-education partnership, including strong support for Georgian’s nursing programs over the last 50 years, and integral advocacy that has contributed to the launch of Georgian’s Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program.

Learn more about immersive learning at Georgian