New York Medical College Celebrates Opening of Newly Renovated Clinical Skills and Simulation Center
Renovations Feature Expanded, State-of-the-Art Simulation Suites for Students and Healthcare Providers in the Community
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New York Medical College (NYMC) celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated Clinical Skills and Simulation Center (CSSC) on September 14, marking a significant expansion of the College’s hands-on clinical education capabilities. The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together NYMC leadership, faculty, staff, students, donors, alumni, and elected officials to recognize the completion of the project.
The nearly 5,000-square-foot expansion brings the CSSC to 27,000 square feet and reimagines the Center to mirror a real hospital environment. The renovation added seven new medical suites, classrooms, and labs, along with two additional standardized patient exam rooms, bringing the total to 22. The upgrades also include accessible technology and exam rooms designed with patients with disabilities in mind, as well as a new dedicated entrance to the Center. Following the ceremony, guests toured the space and got a firsthand look at its advanced simulation equipment with real scenario demonstrations.
“This expansion reflects our unwavering commitment to preparing the next generation of physicians, dentists, and health care providers with the skills and confidence they need before they ever set foot in a hospital,” said Alan Kadish, M.D., front row third from right, president of Touro University and NYMC. “Investing in a facility of this caliber ensures that our students are trained to the highest standard, and it reinforces NYMC's role as a leader in medical education, both regionally and nationally.”
“The best medical education happens where knowledge meets practice and this new Center gives students exactly that bridge,” said Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., chancellor and chief executive officer of NYMC. “As health care keeps grows increasingly complex, our responsibility to train physicians and clinicians who are ready on day one grows right along with it. This facility helps us meet that responsibility.”
The Center now includes an expanded footprint of specialty suites, from labor and delivery to orthopedics and critical care, designed to reflect the environments where NYMC's roughly 5,000 annual learners will one day work. Highlights include MamaAnne, a next-generation birthing simulator making its Northeast debut at NYMC, along with high-fidelity manikins representing patients of varying ages, skin tones, and abilities to help students train for the full range of patients they'll encounter in their careers.
Katharine Yamulla, M.H.E.A., CHSE, front row second from right, director of the CSSC and assistant dean for clinical skills education and assessment, has led the Center since it opened in 2014 and oversaw the renovation project since it began in November 2024. “This is more than a renovation,” she said. “We reimagined how we prepare health care professionals for the realities of patient care. Every suite and every piece of technology in this space was designed with one goal in mind, and that's giving our students the confidence and competence to walk into a hospital room and know exactly what to do.”
“My wife, Kim [Kimberly Flood, M.D.], and I are honored to recognize our father and father-in-law through the dedication of the Orthopedic Clinical Skills Laboratory within this Clinical Skills Center,” said David E. Asprinio, M.D., back row right, chair and professor of orthopedic surgery and professor of pharmacology. “I had the good fortune of knowing the senior Dr. Flood for more than 20 years. Throughout that time, and even after his retirement, he remained intellectually curious and closely followed advances across a broad range of medical specialties, including orthopedic surgery. His commitment to learning, patient care, and medical education never diminished. I believe he would be deeply honored to have his name associated with this Clinical Skills Center and with the training of future generations of physicians.”
“Experiences like these help the students to build the solid clinical foundation that they will carry with them throughout their careers,” said Mill Etienne, M.D. ‘02, M.P.H., back row second from right, vice chancellor and professor of neurology and of medicine. “And simulations, we’re not just talking about procedures, will also prepare our students for the care of the full range of patients that they will encounter.”
The renovation also strengthens NYMC's role as a hub for interprofessional education, bringing together medical, dental, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology students, and expands the CSSC's certification offerings, including Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support training through the American Heart Association.
