How to resume safe access to a medical simulation center at the time of COVID-19 pandemic: The proposal of a protocol from a university institution in North-Eastern Italy

INTRODUCTION: The Covid-19 global pandemic has suspended thousands of clinical education programs around the world. Also in Italy, as in the rest of the world, frontal teaching activities and internships in the medical field have been suspended. At the university hospital of Udine (North-Eastern Italy) it was decided to strengthen the use of simulation in all training stages to get over the block of training activities. METHODS: A protocol has been drawn up with the aim of providing training in safety for every student of the degree courses in medicine and health area and for doctors in residency training. In this way it was possible to carry out training sessions with a maximum of 6 students engaged in the simulation activities offered by the Center (3D) virtual cadaver, laparoscopic pelvic trainer stations, ultrasound laboratory, microsurgery, etc.). The key points of the protocol were represented by i) internet booking of the training activity; ii) respect of safety measures (hand hygiene, safe distance, restricted total number of presences, constant use of the surgical mask) and iii) reorganization of the material and cleaning of the rooms. RESULTS: Our educational strategy allowed to resume training activity maintaining adequate levels of safety for students and teachers. Applying our protocol, it was possible to guarantee safe access to our Medical Simulation Center (MSC) to a total of about 1400 students from different course of study during the period between June 2020 and February 2021. CONCLUSIONS: Our protocol could represent a practical tool in the management of resuming the activity at a MSC.