VCOM 2024 Annual Report

VCOM-Carolinas Receives Grant for LAP Mentor Simulator

V COM-Carolinas has received a generous grant of more than $400,000 from the South Carolina Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare. Among other things, the grant allowed VCOM Carolinas to acquire a LAP Mentor Simulator, a sophisticated virtual reality system that replicates the experience of performing laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive surgical technique used in various medical procedures. Through realistic simulations, students can practice essential skills such as hand-eye coordination, instrument manipulation and surgical technique in a safe and controlled environment, preparing them to deliver

health inequities and improving access to healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved communities. By equipping them with advanced surgical skills through simulation-based training, they are empowered to serve as agents of positive change in the communities they will one day serve. “The LAP Mentor covers it all,” says Michael Parks, MPA, NREMT, VCOM-Carolinas director for high fidelity manikin based and virtual simulation. “From essential skills, like instrument handling and camera navigation, to more complex procedures, such as suturing, knot tying, cholecystectomy, appendectomy, hysterectomy and other procedures, our students can gradually progress

high-quality patient care with precision and expertise.

and build upon their skills, ensuring a well-rounded and comprehensive understanding of laparoscopic surgery.”

As future physicians, VCOM students play a vital role in addressing

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