Creating Macao Medical Simulation Centre to improve safety, quality and education in health care (Center of Excellence for Medical Professional Development)

Abstract

Between 2011 and 2020, in the Macao Special Administrative Region, China, critical health care reforms took place with simulation training in medical education. The introduction of simulation training for postgraduates at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) was a key driver of this health care services reform, supported with two public health care lecture forums: the Sino Luso International Medical Forum launched in 2011 and the Sino Asia Pacific Medical Forum, established in 2015. Advocacy and education from these forums also helped pave the way for approval from the Macao SAR Government Gazette of the first Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Science (MBBS) programme on 14 January 2019. The programme was launched on 2 September 2019 at the newly opened Faculty of Medicine (formerly Faculty of Health Sciences) at the MUST. The strategy was based on a threepronged approach, starting with the implementation of simulation-based postgraduate training programmes, creating internationally supported medical lecture forums, and ending with the establishment of the medical school. The strategy has led to a solid foundation to successfully adopt leading-edge technology for medical and clinical training and education, meeting the needs of future health care and health care providers.