Karen Dickinson, MBBS, BSc, MD, MEd, FRCS
Asst Prof Surgery, Director IPE Sim and Clinical Skills
UAMS
Dr Dickinson is an Assistant Professor of Surgery and the Director of IPE Simulation and Clinical SkillsTraining at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR. She completed her surgical training in both the UK and US and has completed a General Thoracic Fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester. Subsequently she completed an American College of Surgeons-Accredited Educational Institute Surgical Simulation Fellowship at the Houston Methodist Institute for Technology Innovation and Education. She matriculated with Honors from the University of Houston with a Masters in Education. Her research interests include interprofessional simulation education, patient education and virtual learning.

Presenting at the Nexus Summit:

Our academic health center delivers a 3-phase (exposure, immersion, competence) interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum that is a graduation requirement. On March 13th, 2020 onsite classes were suspended due to the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the state. Faculty rapidly implemented alternative methods of instruction to complete coursework for the spring semester. Many classes were hosted on a virtual platform using Zoom.During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare students and faculty stepped forward with a desire to serve. Several public health support programs were provided by the…
In order to continue to deliver high quality interprofessional education during the COVID-19 pandemic, educational innovations including virtual simulations have been necessary. The Mock Trial interprofessional learning event is designed to give law students and medical, nursing, pharmacy, public health and other healthcare professions students exposure to a medical negligence trial and the opportunity to learn about, from and with each other as they collaborate as a jury to reach a verdict. To enable this to continue during the pandemic, transition to the virtual platform was required.…
A medical negligence trial can be stressful for all involved and may be the first time in a courtroom for many health professionals. To provide students the opportunity to learn from, with and about each other, the Mock Trial was established as an annual collaborative learning event between the University of Arkansas Little Rock Law School and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in 2018. In 2021, Mock Trial was conducted virtually with the goal of continuing high-quality IPE throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Students participate as jury members via Zoom and first hear the…
The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a pedagogical change with many learning events now virtual or hybrid in nature. Simulation events are particularly affected due to their hands-on nature. Traditionally, an in-person Facilitator Training and IPE Event Training Design course is held at our university. This has been adapted to a virtual Facilitating Virtual Simulations Crash Course, addressing the format/objectives/expectations and strategies for facilitators of virtual IP simulations. Sixteen virtual IP simulations have been delivered for students in 19 professions since September 2020…
Over the past 10 years, health care training programs have been working together to create and implement robust interprofessional education opportunities to meet accreditation requirements and prepare the next generation of team-based learners for collaborative practice. A few states have developed statewide consortiums to join forces in this effort. Geographical distance has limited multi-institution IPE events, decreasing student involvement and the overall impact of statewide collaborative efforts. However, when the COVID-19 Pandemic arrived in early 2020, one statewide consortium saw this…