Facilities & Study Spaces
Anatomy Lab
In December 2017, Tufts School of Medicine opened its doors to the new Michael Jaharis Jr., M87P, H15, Anatomy Laboratory, which introduces a modern, enlarged space for students to learn essential anatomical training. The Michael J. Anatomy Lab has room for more than 200 students and faculty to work with high-resolution diagnostic imaging and computer screens at each of the 44 dissection tables. There is also an adjacent Technology Enabled Active Learning classroom, based on a design by MIT, which has room for up to 60 students to work at stations set up for interacting with each other and their instructor.
Clinical Skills and Simulation Center
The School of Medicine’s Clinical Skills and Simulation Center is a 9,000-square-foot training facility that contains three simulation rooms with advanced computerized mannequins that display symptoms and distress the same way real patients do: dilated pupils, low heart rate, coughing, and sweating. The mannequins give students the opportunity to practice procedures such as putting in a blood line or intubation before trying it on a human patient. In addition to the simulation rooms, there are 12 patient exam rooms where students can practice taking medical histories and refine their bedside manner with standardized patient-actors. Each room is fully wired for audio and video, so faculty members can watch students’ performances from central control rooms and provide post-procedural training in a debriefing session.
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Medical education is increasingly focused on achieving competency in clinical skills and diagnostic reasoning, emphasizing approaches that enhance patient safety and the quality of care. Simulation training is an essential link between medical student training and clinical experience and has proven to be an effective tool for assessing technical skills, critical thinking, and team-orientated behavior throughout medical training.
Tufts School of Medicine's Clinical Skills and Medical Simulation Center (CSSC) is a 9,000-square-foot training facility that contains three simulation rooms with state-of-the-art computerized mannequins that display symptoms and distress the same way real patients do: dilated pupils, low heart rate, coughing, and sweating. The mannequins allow students the chance to practice procedures such as putting in a blood line or intubation before trying it on a human patient. In addition to the simulation rooms there are 12 patient exam rooms where students can practice taking medical histories and refine their bedside manner with standardized patient-actors. Each room is fully wired for audio and video, so faculty members are able to watch students' performances from central control rooms and provide post-procedural training in a debriefing session.
Medical simulation is applicable throughout all four years of medical education, postgraduate residency training, and continuing education. Simulation starts with the basics of CPR, advanced life support, with increasing complexity as the student learns to manage complex medical problems. Tufts is unique in offering state of the art training at a network of simulation centers.
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Training in physical diagnosis starts in the fall of first year with the Physical Diagnosis Course. This six-month course combines didactic instruction with weekly hands on training sessions in the CSSC. Extensive use is made of task trainers (mannequins and computer-based learning tools) to teach normal and abnormal physical findings and standardized patients.
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Standardized patients, actors who realistically portray patients with a wide array of medical problems, are used to train and to assess student competence in clinical skills. Each year more than 3000 student-standardized patient encounters are hosted at the CSSC. Students interview and/or examine standardized patients in the following courses/experiences: Medical Interviewing and the Doctor Patient Relationship; Physical Diagnosis, Introduction to Clinical Reasoning; Competency based Apprenticeship in Primary Care, Family Medicine Clerkship, and the end of third year assessment OSCE (objective structured clinical examination).
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Tufts University School of Medicine
35 Kneeland Street, 3rd floor
Boston, MA 02111
Phone 617-636-2401
Fax 617-636-3488
CSSC@tufts.eduJesse Rideout, MD
Director, Clinical Skills and Simulation Center
Director of Simulation Education
617-636-3990Christopher McNeal
Instructor in the Department of Emergency Medicine
Medical Simulation Specialist
617-636-0852Staff Contact Info:
Donna Merrick
Director of Clinical Skills and Special Programs
617-636-2401Kasia Michalek
Administrative Coordinator - PBL, Selectives, Special Programs and Scheduling
617-636-2400
Meeting Spaces & Study Rooms
There are a variety of study and meeting spaces available on the Boston Health Sciences Campus in both the M&V Building at 136 Harrison Avenue and in the Medical Education Building at 145 Harrison Avenue.
Hirsch Library Spaces
The Hirsh Library located on the fourth through seventh floors of the Medical Education Building features quiet floors and collaborative spaces, computer labs, study rooms, and meeting areas to accommodate a variety of research and academic needs.
Study Rooms
There are numerous study rooms available on the 7th Floor of the library. Access to rooms is on a first-come, first-served basis for groups, who may ask lone occupants to vacate.
5th Floor Collaboration Rooms
There are seven collaboration rooms available on the 5th floor for groups of 2 or more to do active work on course-related assignments, such as projects or presentations. Students may book collaboration rooms on the Hirsh Health Sciences Library Collaboration Rooms page. When not reserved, they operate on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to groups.
Student Conferencing Room
Students may reserve room 513 of the Medical Education Building for teleconferencing needs like conducting phone interviews, participating in virtual group meetings, and making phone or video calls. The room is equipped with a video screen, but users must bring their own communication device. Students may book the conferencing room on the Hirsh Library Student Conferencing Room page. When not reserved, the room operates on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to groups.
Medical Students Spaces
MD students have access to Learning Communities on the second and third floors of the Medical Education Building that feature small group classrooms and study spaces, as well as living room and kitchen facilities. To learn more about these spaces, visit the Mentoring & Learning Communities page.
Physician Assistant Students Spaces
There are specific study areas for PA students, including two huddle rooms with whiteboards on the 5th floor of the M&V Building. PA students may also use the Graduate Student Lounge with a kitchen on the first floor of the M&V Building.
Lockers & Locker Rooms
MD students are assigned a locker in the Medical Education Building for use during their first and second year. Students should bring a padlock with them to the first day of Orientation. Locks are also available for purchase at the Health Sciences Campus Bookstore.
Physician Assistant students are provided with a PA-specific locker room, and a guaranteed locker for their first year in the program with the option to request one for their second year as well. The locker room has a refrigerator and microwave for student use.
MS-Biomedical Sciences (MBS) students are assigned lockers by the MBS program. MBS lockers are located on the first floor of the M&V Wing.
For all other students, lockers are available on a first come, first serve basis. They are located on the first floor of the Stearns Wing. Students interested in getting a locker need to see the student services coordinator in M&V Suite 142 or by calling 617-636-2127.