Computer game teaches medical students how to play doctor
University of Alberta students have created an educational computer game that simulates real-life hospital situations to enforce the importance of patient safety and communication between medical workers.
Headed by PhD student Diane Aubin and university alumnus Michael Burden, the team gathered a group of testers to navigate through a set of hospital rounds, respond to doctor queries, and make consequential decisions under pressure in the game.
“The aim of this game is to show students what can go wrong if you don’t talk to people on your team or if you don’t speak up when it’s important,” said Aubin. The game is expected to undergo further testing and an expanded version may be released in the future.
With files from University of Alberta News
Controversial suicide “contagion” theory supported by new study
Startling research co-led by the University of Ottawa’s Dr. Ian Coleman, shows that teens that have experienced a fellow student’s suicide — even if they did not know the deceased personally — are more susceptible to thinking about or attempting suicide themselves, versus teens lacking this “exposure.”
Between 1998 and 2007, the responses of 22,000 preteens and teens were collected from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. Among the 12 and 13 year olds analyzed, 15.3 per cent thought about suicide — over four times the number of non-exposed students. Nearly a quarter of these teens knew of a classmate’s suicide by the time they turned 16 and 17 years old.
With files from The Ottawa Citizen
Six year broadcasting contract will expand university sports coverage
A new partnership between Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)’ and Rogers Sportsnet includes increased coverage of men’s and women’s university sport until the 2018–19 academic year. In particular, the arrangement is meant to boost the profile of CIS basketball and hockey and include broadcasting of the Mitchell Bowl, the Vanier Cup, and the Uteck Bowl. By the end of the agreement, Sportsnet could air over 27 CIS events on a yearly basis.
“This . . . will help elevate the CIS brand and provide our 11,000 student athletes, 700 coaches and 54 member institutions the recognition they deserve,” says Pierre Lafontaine, chief executive officer of CIS.
With files from The Varsity
