Alex Masi

Phil, the OPD (Operating Department Practitioner) is providing one of the 'Patient Simulator' with a dose of Propofol, during the initial part of a simulation, at the ExPERT Centre, a new wing of the University of Portsmouth, on Wednesday, March 28, 2007, in Portsmouth, England. Medicines can be administered to the ëPatient Simulatorsí using only water through and a bar code that identify the treatment used. The ëPatientí will react accordingly. The ëSimulators' can bleed, breathe, drool and even speak, and are being used by students at the state-of-the-art new training centre. They cost 270.000 USD each and are able to simulate all sort of acute conditions, including heart attacks. The 'Patient Simulators' are housed at a $9 million USD centre which opened few weeks ago. Students and professionals from different health-care disciplines simulates conditions to then act and provide the right treatment, while the 'patient' will react accordingly. www.port.ac.uk/expertcentre **Italy Out**