Next week, Dr. De La Cruz, Tim Milner and Monica Sharick, both Simulation Consultants in the 3rd floor Simulation Center, along with a few other Emergency Medicine physicians will participate in education on the new Laerdal-SonoSim Ultrasound Trainers. We currently utilize on SonoSim trainer in the Simulation Center, SimMan 3G. With this new SonoSim technology, which integrates into our existing patient simulator platform from Laerdal, we can now include diagnostic ultrasound featuring real ultrasound cases with pathological findings into full-scale simulations. The new system can be used as a stand alone ultrasound training and assessment tool or integrated into a full scale, team training exercise. Dr. De La Cruz explains that "We will be using this simulation technology to assess and train resident physicians on their abilities in identifying indications for point of care ultrasound exams, interpreting point of care ultrasound images, and the clinincal decisions they make off of those interpretations. The goal will be to help train them to integrate point of care ultrasound during critical patient scenarios such as medical codes and trauma evaulations. In addition, we will be using this equpiment to expose ancillary and nursing staff on how point of care ultrasound can be integrated in their practices and how it helps the diagnostic thought processes of their physicians during these critical encounters." Dr. De La Cruz is an Associate Professor for SIU School of Medicine as well as the Director of Research and Ultrasound.