Projects

CERTAIN Research and Education Projects

CERTAIN is dedicated to pioneering innovative approaches that enhance education for both medical trainees and faculty. Our primary goal is to establish pre-clinical proficiency, ensuring an objective demonstration of “readiness to perform” before residents enter the clinical environment.

Ongoing Research Projects

Widget Title
Motion Metrics for Measuring Automaticity of Ultrasound-Guided Needle Tracking Procedures (T32 Project)

PI: Jacqueline Hannan 

  • Data collection: recording hand motion metrics and eye tracking data of experts and novices, training novices up to automaticity, and measuring performance in the OR after training
  • Data analysis: statistical comparison of motion metrics and eye tracking data in simulation and OR environments, survey perceptions
  • Next Steps:
    • Complete IRB review of protocol
    • Purchase equipment and begin pilot testing for the study
    • Collect data from experts and enroll novice cohort prior to relevant rotations
Widget Title
In Situ Simulation – weekly training with residents

PI: Nadav Levy

  • Data collection: self-reflection surveys, audio recordings 
  • Data analysis: statistical evaluation of perceptions, correlating manikin data to perceived performance
  • Next Steps:
    • Updating survey tools and simulation scenarios
    • Correlating scenarios to resident rotations
    • Writing and publishing 2023-2025 reflection survey
Widget Title
Virtual Reality Training for CVL - currently training residents in CVL with VR and Vantari systems, with plans to expand the study to attending training

PI: Sara Neves 

  • Data collection: performance surveys, perception surveys, VR data, recordings of CVL placements in the operating room
  • Data analysis: anonymizing OR videos, statistical analysis of surveys, comparison of performance measures 
  • Next Steps:
    • Updating protocol for next resident class
    • Expanding study to include refresher training for attendings who do not work in cardiac spaces
    • Writing and publishing results from 2023-2025 data collection
Widget Title
Rescue Ultrasound (RUS) Curriculum – training residents using Vimedix system and HoloLens for augmented reality

PI: Ruma Bose 

  • Data collection: Vimedix motion metrics comparison between experts and novices, OSCE evaluations, survey responses
  • Data analysis: statistical comparison of motion metrics and OSCE performance
  • Next Steps:
    • Collecting data from CA-2 and CA-3 classes for additional benchmarking of skills
    • Expanding use of HoloLens system to simulate more complex cases
Widget Title
Improving Near Miss Identification – characterizing perceptions and behavior surrounding near miss and no harm events, and improving identification and reporting

PI: Jacqueline Hannan

Collaborators: Liana Zucco, Richard Pollard 

  • Data collection: (Phase 1) survey department about near miss perceptions, observe near miss and no harm events in the OR, review M&Ms for causes
  • Data analysis: categorizing survey responses, coding ethnographic data, and statistically comparing M&M reports to inform Phase 2 of the project
  • Next Steps:
    • Finish data collection for Phase 1 of the project
    • Write and publish results from Phase 1 
    • (Phase 2) Use results to inform updates to Epic reporting functionality curriculum/presentation about how to identify and report near misses
Widget Title
Clinical Ultrasound Curriculum for Virtual Education in India

PI: Shweta Golhar 

  • Data collection: surveys, pre-test and post-test
  • Data analysis: statistical evaluation of demographic information, correlating pre-test/post-test, and free-text response about the need for ultrasound education
  • Next Steps:
    • Updating curriculum for the next cohort
    • Writing and publishing the curriculum, survey and assessment tests
Widget Title
Clinics in Medical Education Journal and Website Resources

CERTAIN Team Project

  • Data collection: Articles and educational material for continued publishing and leading education resources
  • Ongoing Work:
    • Publish journal every other month with latest educational material and research
    • Continue uploading resources to the website for educators to use and for medical professionals to learn from
    • Work towards PubMed indexing for the journal

Master's Thesis Projects

Proficiency Index for Assessing Simulation Performance

Fellow: Dario Winterton

Program: Master's in medical education

  • Evaluate performance along multiple key clinical skills to measure progress from in situ simulation practice
  • Next Steps: Continue developing statistical approach for metrics of interest, collect data starting in August

Assessing Impact of Regional Block Training

 

Fellow: Federico Puerta Martinez

Program: Master’s in medical education

  • Implement targeted training with task trainer for regional block and compare to traditional approach for regional training
  • Next Steps: Finish IRB approval process, begin collecting data this academic year

Simulation for Emergency Medicine

 

Program: Simulation Fellowship with CMS

  • Design and implement training interventions and simulation for disaster management and leadership in the emergency department
  • Next Steps: Meet with emergency department team and continue developing metrics of interest for project

 

 

Using Artificial Intelligence to Provide Structured Simulation Feedback

PI: Nadav Levy 

  • Data collection: Audio recordings from in situ simulation
  • Data analysis: Using AI models to produce structured feedback and a performance score based on audio transcripts
  • Next Steps:
    • Continue refining AI model output as preliminary data for grant
    • Compose grant application for FAER and submit for the upcoming cycle
    • Start data collection and analysis during upcoming academic year

Using Virtual Reality to Maintain Mastery of Skills

CERTAIN Team Project 

  • Data collection: Enroll anesthesia attendings to routinely practice CVL placement and cricothyroidotomy, along with other skills as modules develop
  • Next Steps:
    • Determine metrics of analysis for VR training and benchmarking
    • Identify attendings who do not routinely work in areas of VR training to enroll in study

Ongoing Education Projects and Support

Education Scholarly Program – Faculty CME course delivering the latest content on training clinicians, specifically focusing on mentorship and perioperative teaching in the upcoming academic year.

Monthly Grand Rounds Workshops – hosted by the education division on topics spanning new technology applications, teaching methods, and various clinical themes.

Clinics in Medical Education journal – creation and curation of materials and publication every other month for dissemination broadly.

Ultrasound Classes and Resources – produce and maintain a broad range of teaching materials detailing the use of ultrasound for multiple clinical areas and offer courses on the use of various ultrasound tools (materials available on website).

Airway Ultrasound and Cricothyroidotomy Resources – develop modules and informational resources for performing airway ultrasound and emergency front of neck access procedures.

Maintain Clinics in Medical Education Website – provides materials broadly for education, teaching, and sharing of anesthesia education knowledge.

Weekly Tuesday Education (TED) Sessions – supporting teaching of procedural content and provide structured resident education.

3D Organon Project and Neuraxial Master Class – supporting ongoing work with immersive technologies for enhanced teaching. 

3D Printing for Projects – maintain skills to support 3D printing of unique models and resources for ongoing education projects. 

Grant Writing Support – staff members support clinicians interested in submitting grants for education research projects and assist with writing and constructing applications.