At the Tom and Vi Zapara Clinical Skills Education Center, students have an opportunity to integrate knowledge, clinical skills and professionalism in a realistic, simulated clinical setting, utilizing standardized patients (SPs) and a variety of medical simulation modalities. Clinicians and educators partner to create innovative learning experiences and evaluations. Utilizing the web-based recording system, students can review videos, perform peer and self-assessments, set learning goals and receive feedback from faculty. Providing learners with realistic patient scenarios and clinical problem-solving challenges assures appropriate development of clinical skills, and ultimately improves whole patient care.

Who We Serve

The Center is a division of the School of Medicine under the Office of the Senior Associate Dean for Medical Student Education. The Center primarily provides clinical skills education and assessment activities for the School of Medicine. In addition, it supports the utilization of standardized patients in formative and clinical assessments by Graduate Medical Education and many Health Science programs at the University.

Accreditation

In November, 2011 the Center became one of the first nineteen programs worldwide to receive full accreditation by the Society for Simulation in Health Care (SSH). Founded in 2004, the SSH is “a broad-based, multi-disciplinary, multi-specialty, international society with ties to all medical specialties, nursing, allied health paramedical personnel, and industry” (ssih.org). The accreditation team recommended the CSEC program for strong administrative support, a core group of dedicated faculty and support staff, state of the art facility and quality of the educational program.The Clinical Skills Education and Medical Simulation Centers received joint re-accreditation in 2018 in the areas of Teaching/Education and Assessment.

SSH Logo

Mission Statement:

Loma Linda University School of Medicine Clinical Skills Education Center embraces the LLU mission by seeking to further the healing and teaching ministry of Jesus Christ “to make man whole.”  The programs and services of the Clinical Skills Education Center:

  1. Support the development of clinical skills through active contextual learning;
  2. Foster professionalism that reflects Christian values through instruction and example;
  3. Encourage unconditional positive regard for people with diverse professional, ethnic and cultural backgrounds;
  4. Promote intellectual curiosity and life-long learning;
  5. Provide a collegial learning and work environment;
  6. Support a culture of excellence through research, program assessment and quality improvement
     

Our Mission is to TEACH

Building on our unique Christian heritage of continuing the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ, we will:

Train and mentor professionals to implement the best practices of patient care and life-long learning skills.

Expand knowledge through innovative research.

Assess learners, teams and patient care processes.

Collaborate effectively with diverse individuals and groups to foster effective patient-centered care.

Help regional, national and global health professionals advance their knowledge and skill sets.