LAHORE – A three-member Irish team from Health Service Executive, National Ambulance Service College, Dublin, inaugurated a state-of-the-art Skill Lab at the University of Health Sciences (UHS) Jinnah Campus, Kala Shah Kaku, on Tuesday.
The facility is equipped with high-fidelity mannequins designed for advanced simulation-based training to prepare trainer faculty from medical colleges across Punjab.
The Irish team includes Prof Shane Knox, Director of Paramedicine and Adjunct Clinical Professor at University College Cork, Ireland, Desmond Wade, Regional Education and Competency Assurance Officer (Advanced Paramedic) and Assistant Professor, and Padraig Glynn, Practice Development Lead – Urgent Care & Community Paramedicine and Assistant Professor at University College Cork.
The Skill Lab houses high-fidelity simulators for cardiac arrest management, trauma resuscitation, neonatal emergencies and obstetric crises. Trainers have undergone structured competency-based modules, after which they have completed training for final-year students in their medical colleges. The facility also includes digital monitoring systems for performance assessment and debriefing.
Speaking at the inauguration, Prof Shane Knox said that the Skill Lab reflects international standards of medical simulation.
“The level of fidelity in these mannequins allows students to make real clinical decisions in a safe environment. This is the future of medical education, where theory and critical response merge in real time. UHS has demonstrated that it understands how essential this training is for patient safety and quality care,” he said.
Prof Knox noted that the train-the-trainer approach adopted by UHS was aligned with best global practices.“When faculty is trained properly, the system becomes self-sustaining. What UHS is building here will eventually reshape emergency care delivery in hospitals,” he said.
Padraig Glynn commented on the accuracy of simulation tools, saying that the equipment used in the lab enables exposure to rare but critical emergencies.
Desmond Wade said that medical students must be trained to respond under pressure and that simulation-based practice helps them make split-second decisions with confidence.
Prof Rathore said that the lab would become a central hub for emergency preparedness across Punjab.
“This centre represents a shift from conventional teaching to hands-on, immersive learning. Our aim is to train the trainer across Punjab so that every medical college produces graduates who are confident in handling real emergencies from day one,” the VC stated.
