‘Baz’ helps develop clinical skills for Warrnambool students

He is humorously nicknamed `Baz' but there is a serious side to a simulation mannequin that has taken centre stage in the Deakin University School of Medicine's Greater Green Triangle Clinical School in Warrnambool.

SimMan 3G, nicknamed `Baz' in honour of the Director of the Clinical School Associate Professor Barry Morphett, is helping the 13 medical students develop practical skills to match their theoretical training.

Clinical skills lecturers, Ashley Zanker and Deb Dunstan, said the students derived great benefit from simulation sessions with `Baz'. The $100,000 mannequin can breathe, sweat and bleed as part of the simulation process and can even talk to the students via their lecturers.

"The clinical skills sessions enable the students to experience realistic hospital scenarios over a wide range of practical situations, such as IV cannulation, plastering, lumbar puncture and post-operative care," Mr Zanker said.

"There are terrific benefits for students to run through a complete medical scenario with a single patient simulator."

Mr Zanker added that the life-like model was an attraction to students. "They are always keen to practice and interact with it to learn and refine their skills."

The mannequin is part of the Deakin Medical School's clinical skills lab initially based at South West TAFE until completion of a new facility as part of the South West Healthcare redevelopment.

Student numbers in the medical course will increase to 40 next year. The students will have completed their first two years of training at Deakin's Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds and undertake a further two years clinical training in the south west to complete their course.

Mr Zanker said the two-year placements were giving students a taste for pursuing a career in rural and regional areas.

"The students have become involved in a diverse array of activities and sports around Warrnambool and are really integrating into the community."