Medical Simulation Research

How to Conduct Research At WISER Research at WISER

WISER Research Committee

The WISER Research Committee (WRC) will work with novice to experienced researchers to support their programs of research. The committee will work with the WISER Directors of Research (DOR) to enable a variety of educational research activities, demonstrate best practices in research design and implementation, engage in scientific updates for faculty and staff and ensure compliance with institutional research requirements. Additionally, the WRC will assess, design, implement and evaluate educational needs and programs. This group will oversee research investigators involved in simulation education, validation, assessment and competency studies. The WRC will provide research guidance and staff development through education, consultation and scholarly endeavor and identify grant opportunities and write proposals for funding as appropriate.

Committee Members

 

Research Project Initial Contact Form

In an effort to streamline the research process, the (WRC) asks that you complete the Initial contact form. This form will need the following information:

  • The name of your research project.
    The names of the researchers involved in the project.
  • Copies of all researcher’s Pitt IRB CITI training certification. See below for how to get PDF copies of your certifications.
  • A description of the study, including a hypothesis and aims, who will be studied, methodologies and analysis used, and any risks or benefits to the participants.

Recent Projects

  • Assessing the Standardization Achieved of Simulation Scenarios Conducted at Multiple Centers
  • Measuring performance during central line cannulation on a task trainer to create process models of performance
  • Categorizing feedback received from standardized confederates after MOCA simulation scenarios
  • Determining the utilization patterns of the Self-Adaptive Learning Through Teaching (SALT) application by medical students in the 3rd year anesthesiology clerkship simulation courses
  • Development of an evaluation instrument for simulation teaching.
  • The development of a medical school ultrasound elective: an innovative approach through multiple teaching modalities
  • Measuring Performance in Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology (MOCA) Simulation Course Participants

Research Resources

The committee has developed a comprehensive protocol with the University IRB covering education research done during the normally scheduled courses at WISER. The protocol specifically covers quiz, survey, and evaluation data collected on the WISER web site. This will allow investigators to streamline their research. In order to take advantage of this IRB, researchers must contact the WRC using the initial contact form. If you have questions, you can contact the committee at WISER-Research-Comm@upmc.edu. (IRB Acceptance Letter)

Help with Study design: Members of the committee are available to help with the creation and development of studies focused on simulation and education. Those interested should contact the research committee and plan on attending one of the research committee meetings to discuss their plans.

CTSI: As a WISER researcher you have access to the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (www.ctsi.pitt.edu). The mission of the CTSI is to improve the efficiency with which biomedical advances translate to improvements in the health of the community. Facilitators at CTSI can help with study design and analysis, as well as training for investigators.

CITI Research Certification

In order to conduct research at WISER, you must take and pass the Collaborative Institutional Training Institute (CITI) courses for both “Social-Behavioral-Educational course” and “Responsible Conduct of Research”. These are online courses and can be completed in a few hours.

If you already have CITI certification and want to conduct research at WISER, the WRC will need copies of your certifications. Here are instructions on how to download PDFs of the certifications:

  • Click on “My Reports” in the banner of the CITI Program website.
  • View and save the completion reports for: “Social-Behavioral – Educational course” “Responsible Conduct of Research”
  • Send the two PDFs to the WRC.

Resources

  • Validity and Reliability
  • Steven Downing: Validity: on the meaningful interpretation of assessment data
  • Steven Downing: Reliability: on the reproducibility of assessment data
    Publications
  • WISER maintains a list of publications that WISER has supported. If you have a publication that needs to be added to the list, please let the committee know.

 

General Info

wiserhelp@upmc.edu

412-648-6073

412-648-6190

230 McKee Place | Suite 300 | Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Education and Simulation Improving Healthcare

412-648-6073

wiserhelp@upmc.edu