In 2019, the Children’s Dream Foundation (CDF) provided funding to New York Medical College (NYMC) to purchase a Lecat Ventrilophone Pediatric Master System. This tool helps to train medical practitioners in the early detection of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease in pediatric patients. It provides accurate cardiopulmonary findings that give feedback on clinical skills and reasoning abilities.
To date, over 220 medical trainees have utilized the Ventrilophone at NYMC, both with simulators and in actual patient sessions. The Ventrilophone became an invaluable resource when medical education at NYMC became virtual in March of 2020. The device is now routinely used by the medical training team in virtual skills assessments to ensure accurate cardiopulmonary findings.
The training simulation items have been a beneficial addition to NYMC’s Pediatric Clerkship program. Noted Dr. Chrisia Noulas, Pediatric Clerkship Director, “The inclusion of all the pediatric simulation items granted by the Foundation has been a valuable addition to the simulation experience for the Pediatric Clerkship. It has increased their confidence in treating children and many have self-reported that this gave them increased confidence in how to handle a pediatric emergency. Furthermore, encounters utilizing both the Ventrilophone and SimBaby allow us to place a special emphasis on teamwork and communication skills in a safe training environment where I can give them one on one feedback.”
Over the years, the Children’s Dream Foundation has provided grants to support NYMC’s Pediatric Emergency Care Program. The NYMC Program seeks to address an identified gap in simulation training in infant care scenarios for medical students, residents, and the wider community. In addition to the Ventrilophone, CDF has granted to the Program an Emergency Airway Management Task Trainer (2020), a Premature Anne simulator (2018), and a SimBaby Manikin (2017).