Dr. Neal Seymour, MD, FACS, Professor of Surgery at UMMS-Baystate and Director, Baystate Simulation Center and Goldberg Surgical Skills Lab, has authored the inaugural chapter on simulation in Schwartz’s Principles of Surgery, 12th Edition. The co-author for the chapter is Carla M. Pugh, MD, PhD of Stanford University.
Using Virtual Reality in Healthcare
Dr. Seymour, Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs, Department of Surgery and Program Director, Surgery Residency, was selected because of his academic contributions to the field of simulation training in surgery, an area he has worked in for 20 years. His most notable efforts have been in the use of virtual reality simulation tools and assessment of surgical skills.
The Baystate Simulation Center, which Dr. Seymour established in 2001, was one of the first simulation centers in the world to be accredited by the American College of Surgeons.
It is now a Level I Comprehensive Education Institute—the highest level accreditation awarded only to institutions that meet strict criteria and offer state-of-the-art surgical education.
Simulation training is a highly valued resource for Baystate's medical education, nursing, and allied health programs.
“I would like to think of this as my most significant contribution to the quality and safety of medical care at Baystate Health,” says Dr. Seymour, who is also leading an international effort to develop a new simulation test to certify laparoscopic surgeons.