Current Projects
CERTAIN focuses on developing innovative ways to improve education for both medical trainees and faculty. Its primary focus is on establishing pre-clinical proficiency: an objective demonstration of “readiness to perform” prior to actual clinical exposure.
Training Sessions & Courses
The Center hosts training sessions and courses for various learners in the medical center. From academic days for our department’s CA-1 residents to ultrasound courses for other departments, including Nephrology and Hospital Medicine, CERTAIN emphasizes a multimodal teaching approach that utilizes online modules hosted on a learning management system developed and managed by the department, in-person lectures and case discussions, and hands-on practice on simulators and live models. These training sessions and courses occur in our dedicated Anesthesia Skills Lab and strive to improve learners’ knowledge, skills, and workflow understanding for procedures ranging from intubations to ultrasound-guided vascular access to echocardiography. With CERTAIN’s support, Dr. Ruma Bose was awarded a Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research grant to fund the development of a rescue ultrasound curriculum for senior residents that uses mixed reality.
Pedagogy
CERTAIN is at the forefront of developing different methods for teaching. Dr. Daniel Walsh recently created an online Journal Club curriculum to increase intraoperative teaching and is working with residents and fellows to develop interactive branched chain learning modules for various subspecialties. Dr. Matyal is leading an effort to increase peer-assisted teaching in the department, where senior residents train junior residents through case discussions and just-in-time hands-on learning. In addition, Dr. Nadav Levy is working to implement in-situ simulation training for faculty and residents.
Technology & Innovation
CERTAIN is leading an initiative to work with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) simulation companies to develop VR simulators for teaching procedural skills, such as transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia, as well as teamwork skills. The Center also supports research using new technologies for teaching, such as Dr. Haobo Ma’s study on teaching fiberoptic intubation skills using 3-dimensional (3D) printing technology, which was awarded with a Society for Education in Anesthesia SEAd grant. CERTAIN is also working with Interventional Radiology on a study funded by CRICO that looks at how motion metrics can be used to test and give objective feedback to residents who are learning how to place a central venous catheter.
The department helps employees submit abstracts, research projects, grants, and publications. CERTAIN's division submitted two abstracts that have been approved for presentation in 2024:
1. In-situ simulation-based education: development and implementation of vital educational tools. Dr. Nadav Levy (Director of Simulation of CERTAIN) submitted this abstract, which was approved for presentation at the 2024 annual meeting of the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists (SOCCA) and the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS). The meeting will take place in Seattle, Washington, from May 16–20, 2024.
2. Using mixed reality, rescue ultrasound guided perioperative crisis management through a modular competency-based curriculum. Dr. Ruma Bose (a faculty member of CERTAIN) submitted this abstract, which was approved for presentation at the 46th annual conference of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists. The conference will take place in Toronto, Canada, from April 27–30, 2024.
3. Teaching left ventricular assist devices through a curriculum-based approach. The division supported Dr. Maurizio Bottiroli's (a faculty member of CERTAIN) proposal for this abstract, which was accepted for presentation.
The CERTAIN Division at BIDMC supports its staff in writing proposals for grants. Some of the proposals include:
1. "Development of a cost-effective 3D modular airway model for fiberoptic intubation training." The department supported Dr. Haabo Ma in the submission of the Society of Education in Anesthesia (SEAd) Grant in January 2022, which was approved.
2. "Rescue ultrasound-guided crisis management." The department supported one of its faculties (Dr. Ruma Bose) to win the Foundation of Anesthesia Education Research (FAER) Research in Education Grant (REG) in August 2022.
3. "Impact of in-situ, high-fidelity simulation training on process outcomes and patient safety with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm." The division assisted its simulation director (Dr. Nadav Levy) to submit the FAER-ARSF mentored research training grant (MRTG) in February 2023. The department is also assisting him to resubmit his proposal for the 2024 FAER-APSF MRTG grant.
4. "Virtual reality-based training of invasive procedures (VR-TAIP)." The division assisted Dr. Shiri Savir to apply for the Hedley Whyte grant in January 2023.
5. "Developing advanced proficiency in decision-making using branched-chain modules." The CERTAIN division supported Dr. Daniel Walsh in supporting a FAER REG grant in August 2023 and a SEAd grant in 2023.
6. "Development and implementation of segmented competency-based training to enhance pre-clinical proficiency in invasive procedures." The division worked with Dr. Aidan Sharkey to secure the Rabkin Fellowship in February 2023.
7. "Improving the proficiency of anesthesia residents in the interpretation of invasive monitoring. The division is supporting Dr. Vahid Kiarid to apply for the 2024 Rapkin Fellowship."
8. "Virtual reality-based training of invasive procedures (VR-TAIP)." The division is also providing support to the Dr. Sara Neves project in its application submission for a 2024 FAER REG grant.
9. "Virtual reality-based training in epidural placement." The division provided support to Dr. Lior Levy in the submission of a 2024 FAER REG grant for this project.
In-situ simulation-based Education
Description: A departmental project on developing a curriculum that incorporates in-situ simulation sessions into resident teaching. A teaching method in which residents interact with manikin in the operating theatre using a real-world scenario. Dr. Nadav Levy is the principal investigator of this project.
Branched Chain Learning Modules
Description: Departmental project on developing interactive branched chain learning modules for various subspecialties. Dr Daniel Walsh is the principal investigator on this project.
Developing a Rescue Ultrasound Curriculum
Description: Departmental project on developing a milestone-based curriculum to teach senior residents when and how to use rescue ultrasound. Dr. Ruma Bose is the principal investigator on this project.
Using Virtual Reality Metrics to Provide Objective Feedback and in the Assessment of Invasive Clinical Procedures
Department project to use virtual reality in providing objective feedback for clinicians performance of invasive clinical procedures and the feasibility of faculty using virtual reality to practice and maintain clinical skills. Dr. Robina Matyal is the principal investigator on this project.
Novel Application of an Immersive Virtual-Reality (VR) Simulator Training Anesthesiologists for High-quality Performance of Invasive Procedures (VR-TAIP)
Description: The department project is to develop a curriculum using virtual reality to train anesthesia residents performing invasive clinical procedures. Dr. Shiri Savir is the principal investigator on this project.
Development of a cost-effective 3D Modular airway model for fiberoptic intubation training
Description: The department projects to determine the institutional return on investment with the use of 3D modular airway model fiberoptic intubation training. Dr. Haobo Ma is the principal investigator on this project.
Development and implementation of a segmented competency-based training model to enhance pre-clinical proficiency in invasive procedures.
Description: The departmental project is to enhance residents' pre-clinical training in performing invasive procedures. Anesthesiologists are expected to perform invasive clinical procedures throughout their careers. The project intends to improve their exposure prior to entering the clinic. Dr Aidan Sharkey is the principal investigator on this project.
Transcutaneous Laryngeal Ultrasonography - Vocal Fold Ultrasound: A non-inferiority study comparing the efficacy of using transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasonography (TLUS) versus an Indirect Flexible laryngoscopy(IFL) procedure in diagnosing vocal cord abnormality.
Description: The departmental project is to demonstrate the non-inferiority of using TLUS compared to the gold standard IFL in diagnosing vocal fold abnormalities. The diagnostic gold standard, IFL, for vocal fold abnormalities is invasive and uncomfortable for patients. Introducing an alternative that is non-invasive and non-inferior will revolutionize patient screening. The educational aspect of Dr. Akiva Leibowitz project will include conducting training of Ear, Nose and throat Residents to be proficient in the use of TLUS to diagnose vocal fold abnormality.