TECH CARE

Simulation technology is redefining medical education, allowing students and doctors to learn without ever putting a patient at risk. It is also being integrated into real-life clinical settings as therapeutic tools, from stroke rehabilitation to treating paediatric conditions like autism and ADHD

- Nirmal Jovial

In early August, while travelling on the Bengaluru metro rail, Dr Karthik Venkatesh, a medical intern at the Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bengaluru, was confronted with an emergency.

As the train left Benniganahalli station, he saw a man, in his late 50s, collapse in the compartment. Passengers assumed it was a seizure, but Venkatesh quickly stepped in to administer CPR. In less than five minutes, he achieved Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC)—the moment when the patient's heart begins beating effectively on its own, restoring blood flow without the need for chest compressions. ROSC within five minutes is an exceptional achievement, as it often takes longer in most real-world, out-of-hospital cases, and each additional minute without circulation can reduce survival odds by 7–10 per cent. The patient was moved out at KR Puram station, where metro authorities rushed him to Sri Lakshmi Hospital in eight minutes. The timely intervention stabilised the patient and saved his life.

Soon after the episode, Venkatesh texted Dr Javed Syed, his mentor and head of Vydehi Advanced Simulation Academy (VASA) in Bengaluru—south Asia's largest and most frequently used multidisciplinary medical simulation centre. “Sirrrrr... your training just saved a life,” he wrote.

Administering CPR in an emergency is just one of many lifesaving skills Venkatesh had learnt as a budding medical student. But theory is only one part of medical education. Much of it requires hands-on practice. Even so, as a new intern, he feels confident performing procedures ranging from emergency first aid to bedside tasks like inserting IV cannulas, drawing blood, dressing wounds and even assisting in surgeries. It is all thanks to the rigorous training he received in VASA's simulated, controlled environment that employs high-fidelity life-sized manikins and virtual or augmented reality equipment.