"Make your mistakes here," says Aileen Zanoni to a group of anxious medical students as they prepare to enter an examination room where a "patient" awaits them. 

Aileen Zanoni, Coordinator of the Standardized Patient Program at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University repeats this mantra frequently in the Simulation Center, located on the second floor of the medical education building in Camden. 

Making mistakes is a fundamental aspect of learning any new trade or set of skills. Everyone falls down a couple of times before they learn to ride a bike, and practicing medicine is no different. And, just like learning to bike, there are numerous mistakes that can be made before success is achieved; taking a turn too quickly, not pedaling fast enough, even just hitting an unfortunate patch of uneven sidewalk. 

Similarly, when medicine is concerned, not only do students need to learn the basic sciences behind their trade, but there are also specific sets of interpersonal skills that all students need to master. Fortunately, the CMSRU SIM center is a safe environment for students to practice and improve in both of these areas.

There are two different types of simulation rooms in the center. The first is a simulated hospital operating room, complete with a life-size, high-tech mannequin. Discard everything you think you know about the stiff, plastic figures spattered across department stores nationwide-- these high-tech mannequins can be programmed to simulate from the simplest signs of human vitality, like lung-sounds and pulse, to even the most rare of medical malfunctions, like an allergic reaction to anesthesia. 

Here, students will be placed in high-pressure situations, during which the "patient's" life may or may not be in danger. Greg Staman, Director of Simulation Operations, plays a large role behind-the-scenes, and can manipulate the mannequin from behind a one-way mirror in the simulation room. "Even though [the students] know it's all a simulation, they really get drawn into the experience...It feels real," says Greg. 

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Sixty four new students started their medical education this week at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU). The incoming students joined CMSRU's charter class, now second-year medical students at the Camden school, expanding enrollment from 50 to 114 students.

"We are excited to welcome these 64 new first year students to our school and to the City of Camden," said Paul Katz, MD, Dean of CMSRU. "They are entering a vibrant and dynamic community that is full of promise. All around us, positive changes are taking place - at Rowan University, at Cooper University Hospital and in this City. CMSRU is proud to be preparing 114 men and women to become stewards of this unprecedented growth, and we look forward to witnessing their impact on the future of healthcare in South Jersey." 

For many college students, summer is a nice break from the rigors of their academic responsibilities. But for 27 bright, motivated undergraduates from New Jersey, the past six weeks were an opportunity to enrich their knowledge of science, medicine, and research, and teach them about the health, economic and educational disparities that exist for urban residents through Cooper Medical School of Rowan University's (CMSRU) Premedical Urban Leaders Summer Enrichment (PULSE) Program.

"The knowledge, enthusiasm, and compassion that these students possess is truly remarkable," said Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams, MD, PhD, Associate Dean of Diversity and Community Affairs and PULSE Program founder and director. "It has been a privilege to work with them and watch their evolution over the past six week. I'm confident that we have many future physician leaders among them."

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