A new center at Temple University s School of Podiatric Medicine will enhance medical education by providing students with a place to practice patient interactions and receive immediate feedback from faculty.

The School of Podiatric Medicine cut the ribbon on its new simulation center, as well as a new anatomy lab, Oct. 10. The simulation center, which boasts 12 clinic rooms outfitted with diagnostic tools and audio and video recording equipment, is brand new and will serve as a place for additional training and quality control. The anatomy lab is an upgrade to existing facilities at the school.

A dedicated simulation center for podiatric students will allow us to prepare students better and more thoroughly for professional practice, said Raquel Perez, a clinical instructor in the Standardized Patient Program who was instrumental in planning the new center. We are a supplementary program designed not to replace real-world experience, but to provide students with a safe and nurturing environment in which to make mistakes and learn from them.

Perez said the simulation center, which was in the works for about a year before its official opening, will allow more opportunities for early intervention and skills development. In addition to audio and video recording equipment, the center s clinic rooms have one-way window mirrors so that attending physicians can observe students interacting with simulated patients without actually being present inside the room and offer immediate feedback.

Temple s School of Podiatric Medicine is the only podiatric medical school in Pennsylvania, and it is one of only nine such institutions in the country.