VirtaMed Announces New Inclusive Knee Simulation Model

In a first for VirtaMed, these latest training modules will now be available on simulators with two different skin tones.

"It is important to learn medical skills in a realistic environment, and that means training on simulators that reflect the diversity of both patients and trainee physicians,” said Dr. Raimundo Sierra, founder and CEO of VirtaMed. “We are committed to encouraging diversity and inclusion in the education of medical skills, and we believe these values should also be reflected in the simulator hardware. This is just one step in the right direction toward more equitable healthcare education and delivery.”

A 2005 report released by the Institute of Medicine documented that “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people -- even when insurance status, income, age and severity of conditions are comparable.” While not referring specifically to surgical outcomes, the report and similar studies have indicated that people of color are less likely to receive effective treatments, due in part to implicit bias from healthcare providers.

The new model, as well as additional software upgrades, will be unveiled at this year’s American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) conference held in Chicago, March 22-26, 2022.