Clinical simulation training uses mannequins that replicate human physiological functions. Training may be part of medical or nursing students' clinical rotations or as additional training for healthcare providers already practicing. Length of training is dependent on the site and student needs.
According to an estimate by the Institute of Medicine, medical errors are the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. In addition to mistakes due to inexperience and human error, failure to communicate among healthcare providers may account for a large proportion of those errors.
Dr. David Murray, M.D., a specialist in anesthesiology, states that studies have found simulation training helpful in two ways. First, it reduces the amount of mistakes a medical student makes in the real world due to inexperience. Second, it provides a way to assess and improve the student's ability to work collaboratively in a crisis situation.