Kanbar Center: Advancing and innovating health professions education

On November 9, UCSF’s Kanbar Center for Simulation and Clinical Skills held its annual showcase. Faculty, staff, and learners from the UCSF educational community gathered to learn about the latest advances in simulation and the expertise offered at this unique learning facility.

Attendees were presented with updates from Kanbar Center staff, including details of the Center’s achievements and innovations over the past year, and of new partnerships and initiatives underway.  In addition, Kanbar Simulation fellows presented on their projects and experiences during their fellowship.

“We are tremendously proud of our team and the services we provide to support faculty and learners daily,” said Michael Quirk, Kanbar Center Operations Director. “Our team is constantly working to improve efficiency and quality of the support provided so we can continue to accommodate programmatic growth and innovation.”  

“With our focus on promoting experiential learning, we are constantly pushing boundaries and earning global recognition,” said Professor of Pediatrics Sandrijn van Schaik, MD, PhD, Kanbar Center Education Director, Baum Family Presidential Chair for Experiential Learning.

The Kanbar Center supports UCSF's educational mission by creating opportunities for teaching, learning, and assessment using simulation as an educational strategy. Simulation is as an educational modality which allows the learners to mimic an aspect of clinical care for the purpose of teaching or assessment.  

Activities at the Center range from those that use actors (standardized patients), to activities with partial task trainers and/or mannequins. The Kanbar Center serves all five health professional schools at UCSF and provides learning opportunities across the continuum of health professions education. 

Located in the lower level of the UCSF Library on the Parnassus campus, the Kanbar Center features exam rooms and simulation rooms that can mimic an ED or OR with equipment that allows students to simulate patient care situations, including work in interprofessional teams.

New developments and growth of services at the Kanbar helps ensure that learners at all stages of their career, from students through practicing professionals, have the opportunity to practice and refine new skills before working with patients who need this skill-based expertise.

Kanbar Center News and Fast Facts:

• The Center’s utilization rapidly grew from 42% in 2011-2012 to greater than 100% this year. The Center now operates at full capacity for most of the year, and often books programs in time originally set aside for maintenance and administrative duties. Kanbar leadership is actively seeking opportunities to expand the Center’s capacity.
• In recognition of the growing importance of simulation in the education of health profession students at UCSF, the Kanbar Center’s Education Director, Sandrijn van Schaik, was appointed as the inaugural Baum Family Chair for Experiential Learning. This was made possible by a generous donation by John and Mindy Baum, which will support the development of a Simulation Faculty Scholars Program in 2019.
• The Kanbar Center helps UCSF to accomplish its missions of innovation, research, and outreach. This is exemplified by nine new educational programs in the 2017-18 academic year, which include new programs for medical students, nursing students, residents and medical center staff. The Center partnered with the UCSF Police Department to provide American Heart Association Emergency Cardiac Care classes for their staff and the greater community.
• An increasing number of faculty and residents are engaged in research around simulation. Simulation fellow Mindy Ju won the 2018 WGEA Award for Best Research with her work on gender bias in leadership of simulated resuscitation teams.