Q&A: Inside Walton School of Medicine’s High-Tech Model with Dr. Kevin Kunkler

How will AWSOM’s approach to medical education improve health outcomes?

We’re essentially enhancing the integration of the arts and humanities with whole health principles that will train our future doctors to see the patients as a whole. We try to understand you. What are the things that stimulate you, what are your goals? You can then attach the treatment or recommendations to some of those goals. We’re coupling your incentive with our patient care plan.

How is AWSOM using simulation-based training?

We’re using two relevant technologies. One is plastinates – that is a dissected body that has been siliconized. It’s a little more complicated than that, but essentially it’s been siliconized and preserved in that stage. We’re using the virtual reality/mixed reality headsets and using 3D models to supplement the plastinates with that. You can see the anatomy from a different angle and fill in all those additional pieces you might not have completely picked up from the plastinates.

How do you balance innovation and technology in health care with the necessary human touch?

Within the first two weeks, they’re running what we call foundational sciences – a lot of the knowledge-based learning, the biochemistry, even starting into some of the genetics, physiology, anatomy – and we’re running that in parallel with some of the clinical skills. We’re doing intentional practice and integration from week two of our curriculum.