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SUNY Upstate receives $100,000 state grantto support clinical skills teaching center

SYRACUSE, N.Y.— SUNY Upstate Medical University has received a $100,000 state grant to support the Clinical Skills Teaching Center, a main feature of SUNY Upstate's new academic building, which is slated to open in the fall of 2006. The announcement was made today, Nov. 12, by state Sen. Nancy Larraine Hoffmann.

"SUNY Upstate Medical University is one of New York's premier institutions," Hoffmann said. "It's mission of patient care, research and education enriches the quality of life in New York and beyond, and therefore deserves our support so it can continue to flourish and bring benefit to our state and its residents."

"Sen. Hoffmann's support will help ensure that we create a state-of-the-art clinical skills teaching center that will enable us to strengthen the teaching of clinical skills significantly," said SUNY Upstate Medical University President Gregory L. Eastwood, M.D.

The Clinical Skills Teaching Center comprises 22-exam rooms, where students will learn how to conduct a medical examination. In these exam rooms, using closed circuit cameras, faculty observe students as they interact with actors—known as standardized patients—who simulate various disease symptoms. The simulations enable students to develop examination, interviewing and diagnostic skills.

Officials say the Clinical Skills Teaching Center will dramatically improve the faculty's ability to observe, evaluate and guide the student's interaction with these standardized patients.

"We are very appreciative of the senator's support of this center," said Steven J. Scheinman, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine and executive vice president of SUNY Upstate. "Interactions with standardized patients will be a significant experience in the course of a medical education and will play a key role in a student's performance in the United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 2, which stresses clinical skills, such as diagnosis, prognosis, and preventive measures."

Use of the Clinical Skills Teaching Center will not solely be reserved for medical students. Officials expect the center will also be used to support medical conferences and continuing medical education courses offered throughout Central New York.

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