HOCS (House Officer CS Simulation)

Team Leader

Felix Michelo

Project Overview

Project Name:

One-line project summary:

Low cost caeserian section simulation for house officers working in areas where there are no trained obstetricians.

Pitch your project.

LMICs have high maternal morbidity and mortality because of limited access to maternal health services especially in hard to reach districts. Most of these districts have a resident house officer or clinical officer serving at a district hospital but they may lack the necessary skills required to do caesarian sections.

This simulation model will enable house officers and clinical officers acquire cognitive and psychomotor skills necessary to offer this service. The training will use videos of caesarian section and 3D simulations. Self assessment will be in form of virtual reality games in which users will only progress to the next level after acquiring the psychomotor and cognitive skills at one level.

The levels will include review of relevant anatomy and physiology, preop assessment, steps of doing c/s and post op management.

What is your surgical training module?

The module will involve recorded videos of lectures and caesarian section procedure. The user will then practice on doing the procedure using 3D VR or app on computer or tablet.

What specific surgical skills are you teaching?

The model will teach psychomotor skills necessary for preoperative assessment, performance of c/s and postoperative care.

Through 3D VR simulation learners will improve their dexterity and hand -eye coordination. This model will help reduce adverse outcomes in maternal health especially in sub-Saharan Africa and other lmics.

Who does your project serve, and in what ways will the project improve their skills?

Our target are house officers and clinical officers working in district hospitals where there are no obstetricians. Most of them will have some basics of surgery that they acquired in their training but may not have enough exposure to perfect their skills in doing caesarian sections.

In what city, town, or region is your project team headquartered?

Lusaka, Zambia

What is your project's stage of development?