Students put to the test at spring mass casualty event

A chaotic scene unfolded at the Cooley University Life Center courtyard on April 1, but it was all part of an elaborate training exercise designed to prepare students for real-life emergency scenarios.

More than 300 students from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston, and UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry participated in a mass casualty simulation.

The drill

Hosted by the Center for Interprofessional Collaboration, the simulation depicted the aftermath of a fictional mass shooting. Faculty and staff portrayed victims with varying degrees of injury, testing students’ ability to assess wounds, provide first aid, and manage patient care under pressure.

Following the initial response, the exercise shifted to a hospital simulation where victims were transported to an already busy emergency room. Students worked in waves, mirroring the challenges of a real-world mass casualty event.

Faculty observed students’ teamwork, communication, and leadership throughout the drill, offering feedback to help them improve.

Importance of the simulation

Elda Ramirez, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, co-director of the center, emphasized the significance of the full-scale drill.

“This is valuable in the context of professionalism, emotional intelligence, and communication,” said Ramirez, associate dean of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement and Dorothy T. Nicholson Distinguished Professor at Cizik School of Nursing. “It helps everybody understand that in chaotic moments, keeping the mission in mind — the patient’s well-being — is the priority.”

For fourth-year McGovern Medical School student Jared Imber, who took a leadership role in the hospital setting, the exercise reinforced the importance of organization in crisis situations.

“It was a really chaotic environment,” Imber said. “Being out in the field was something we hadn't really experienced. But it’s good to have that experience so that if it ever happens, we're prepared for it.”

Jayvin Patel, an MPH student at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health and member of the Center for Interprofessional Collaboration assisting with coordination, said seeing the simulation come together was “surreal.”

“The actors really got into their roles; it caught me off guard how real it seemed,” Patel said.

The annual simulation, now in its fifth year, continues to serve as a vital training tool for future health care professionals, ensuring they are ready to respond when real-life emergencies arise.