This teaching moment stretched beyond one visit in an exam room. Students first met their SPs in a hospital case setting, then did a follow-up visit to inform the patient of the cancer diagnosis. They then, in a separate session, met the SP again in a hospice setting, learning how to deal with end-oflife and palliative care.
Over time, the CLC has grown in size and scope to now incorporate simulated patients, telemedicine and other technologies such as a completely virtual patient that judges a student’ s empathy. All this growth has been led by Debra Danforth, DNP, director of The Charlotte E. Maguire, M. D., and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Center for Clinical Simulation. Danforth has guided every M. D. class, except the inaugural 2005 Class, and every Physician Assistant and Bridge student through the CLC.
“ Yes... we have a computer looking at empathy,” Danforth said.“ You work with it just like you would with a real patient. You ask,‘ What brings you in today? What makes the problem worse or better,’ and they respond. I tried it and I deliberately tried not to look at it or make eye contact. It can
8 FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY | COLLEGE OF MEDICINE