September 1, 2016

The Independence Blue Cross Medical Simulation Center at Drexel University College of Medicine was named "Outstanding Education Partner" by the District 1199C Training & Upgrading Fund. The award was presented to Kathleen Ryan, MD, associate dean, Medical Education– Simulation, at the Training Fund's graduation at the Kimmel Center.

The Simulation Center regularly hosts students from the STE(A)M* Scholars program at Roxborough High School, which was developed by the District 1199C Training & Upgrading Fund with a grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Each group of scholars (9th graders, 10th graders, and so on) comes separately to the Queen Lane Sim Center three times a year. There they participate in patient-centered simulations and interact with the high-fidelity manikins and standardized patients.

The Training Fund was created in 1974 by collective bargaining agreements between 11 Philadelphia hospitals and District 1199C of the National Union of Hospital & Health Care Employees; it now involves 50 area healthcare and human services employers. Its mission is to provide access to career pathways in health care and human services through context-based education and training, annually serving more than 5,000 union members and low-income residents.

*Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics