The University of Nebraska Board of Regents Friday voted to establish the Interprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning (iEXCEL℠) at UNMC.
The center will focus on competency-based simulation and virtual reality training for learners of all ages and will position UNMC as a national leader and resource in the use of next-generation technology to accomplish state-of-the-art experiential learning.
The interprofessional, interdisciplinary center will be housed at the proposed Global Center for Advanced Interprofessional Learning, which would be built on the UNMC campus at 42nd and Emile Streets and serve as a resource for the state, the nation and beyond. Funding support for iEXCEL℠ and the global center will come from industry partnerships, as well as private and state funds.
“This is a unique opportunity for UNMC and Nebraska to be a world leader in using near ‘real life virtual reality scenarios’ to transform performance in career-long health care education and training,” said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D.
Simulated environments to master knowledge and skills have been widely used in commercial aviation, space travel and petroleum exploration, said Dele Davies, M.D., vice chancellor for academic affairs at UNMC.
“We know that simulated settings accelerate learning and lead to high levels of mastery and retention of knowledge and technical skills, particularly among millennial learners,” Dr. Davies said.
While based at UNMC’s Omaha campus, the center will benefit the entire state, including UNMC campuses in Lincoln, Kearney, Scottsbluff and Norfolk, as well as UNMC’s primary clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine, and its regional health partners. It also will serve as a resource to Nebraska’s state colleges and the military, while bolstering continuing education and statewide training for all of Nebraska’s health care practitioners.
As such, the care provided to patients would improve, making Nebraska a healthier state in which to live, Dr. Gold said.
“The Global Center for Advanced Interprofessional Learning is one of the most transformational ventures that UNMC has undertaken in recent memory,” said University of Nebraska Interim President James Linder, M.D. “The educational tools that will be used in this center — which will be deployed across the state — will change the way we educate in health care and may be applied to other NU academic programs. The center also will serve as an economic driver for Nebraska, fostering new opportunities for public-private partnerships and helping to attract and retain top talent to our state.”
After working on the VERT (Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Training) that was recently featured at the Innovation Open House, I can attest to the importance and benefit of these types of training and learning facilities. What an exciting project!