The Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI) has opened a new building in Dublin which spans ten storeys and has been in construction for the past two and a half years. The new centre, which is valued at €80 million, will be used for training and education purposes.
The building, located on York Street, received planning permission in mid-2014 and was to be competed for Spring 2017. At 120,000 square feet, it is the largest construction redevelopment project in the city centre in recent years. The facilities will be available to undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as qualified surgeons.
The building’s facilities include teaching rooms, an auditorium, a library, a gym, and a café, as well as advanced teaching equipment and spaces that allow for teaching technical surgical skills. Spread over three floors, there are a range of labs with programmes that allow students to simulate procedures.
The “Dry Lab” features high-tech virtual reality devices which enable students to simulate procedures such as laparoscopies and ultrasounds. Additionally, the “Wet Lab” will be used for specific surgical techniques on biological tissue such as animal organs and human cadavers.
Mock outpatient rooms are available, and a full operating theatre is also provided. The operating theatre can be turned into an intensive care unit or emergency department depending on the needs of the students.
High fidelity mannequins are also provided, which can be programmed to simulate certain illnesses or conditions. James Murray, the Director of Simulation at RCSI, stated that there are distinct benefits to using such methods: “We can use very rare medical emergencies, something you don’t come across every day but you have to deal with when it happens.”
Speaking on the opening of the building, Professor Cathal Kelly, Chief Executive of RCSI, stated that it enables “a truly transformative clinical learning experience”. Professor Oscar Traynor, Director of the National Surgical Training Centre, added: “It is certainly the largest and most advanced simulation facility in Europe and one of the top five in the world.”
