Baker College, a private nonprofit college based in Michigan, is the first college in Michigan to offer surgical technology students advanced training on the LAPSIM ST, Laparoscopic Simulator. The unique virtual reality simulator is now in use at Baker College in Cadillac, Flint and Muskegon.
The simulation technology is giving every student in Baker’s surgical technology program advanced training in preparation to enter clinical surgical rotations in January 2020. The unique, hands-on virtual reality training available on the LAPSIM ST cannot be duplicated on other laboratory equipment, nor can the experience be extracted from classroom courses. The additional application will increase eye-hand coordination, depth perception, anatomic structure recognition and critical thinking skills, all of which are necessary to adapt to a real-world surgical setting.
“Baker College is extremely proud and excited for the opportunity to be the first in the State of Michigan to offer the LAPSIM ST, laparoscopic simulator, to our surgical technology students,” said Cyndy Shupe, program director of surgical technology at Baker College of Cadillac. “The purchase of this new equipment exemplifies the commitment Baker makes to our students, and to their future employers. The ultimate goal is to give superior patient care to those we serve all across Michigan, and keeping up with technological advancements and offering our students this advanced hands-on training is key to that effort. We are so grateful to be a part of this new process.”
The first cohort of students to get their hands on the LAPSIM ST are equally excited about the opportunity. “The new laparoscopic simulator offers us, as students, a new and interactive way to learn,” said Katelynn Brooks, surgical technology student at Baker College of Cadillac. “It provides a new perspective into the world of surgery that would otherwise be difficult to replicate in an average school setting. I am excited to see how this equipment will further help us in our studies.”
Baker College has surgical technology graduates currently working in every major medical system across the state of Michigan. In the last four years, the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting exam pass rates for all Baker College surgical technology students was 93 percent systemwide, compared to a national student average of 70 percent for those same years.
In the professional setting, a surgical technologist works under the supervision of a surgeon to ensure that an operating room environment is safe, all equipment functions properly and that the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety. They prepare both the patient and the operating room for surgeries, assist surgeons during procedures and are responsible for a variety of post-surgery tasks.