Laboratory for Innovation in Medical Education
Welcome
The Department of Surgery at SIU School of Medicine is reshaping how the next generation of healthcare professionals are trained through its Laboratory for Innovation in Medical Education (LIME).
This groundbreaking program integrates cutting-edge advances in extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to build immersive training environments where learners strengthen their clinical and procedural skills in realistic, risk-free conditions that closely mirror real-world patient care scenarios.
Goals
The integration of AI into medical education enhances diagnostic reasoning through virtual patient encounters and complex clinical scenarios. It also improves surgical proficiency via repeated practice in fully immersive XR simulations, supported by immediate, personalized feedback. Beyond technical mastery, AI-powered avatars and scenarios allow learners to practice navigating patient and interprofessional communication—especially in stressful or ethically challenging situations—while also developing one of the most essential skills in medicine: conducting difficult conversations with patients and families.
Ultimately, LIME’s goal is to deliver a personalized, data-driven, and flexible training experience that adapts to each learner’s needs. Customized learning paths, combined with real-time performance feedback, support continuous growth and prepare learners for the evolving demands of modern healthcare.
LIME and MLC
LIME is made possible through strong collaboration with the Edgar J. Curtis Memorial Learning Center (MLC) - home to the region’s most advanced Simulation Center and the Roland J. Folse Surgical Skills Center at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. The MLC offers more than 16,000 square feet of state-of-the-art training environments, including real-time simulation spaces with fully equipped operating and exam rooms, an intensive care unit, a labor and delivery suite, a trauma bay and even a high-tech ambulance simulator. These facilities serve medical students, residents, practicing physicians, nurses, and first responders, preparing them for the realities of patient care in every clinical setting—from emergency response to long-term care.
The result is a powerful, safe and highly realistic training environment that not only strengthens technical expertise but also reinforces human connection—ultimately shaping a healthier, more skilled and more compassionate future for the communities we serve.
Meet the Team
| Program Director Pinckney Benedict | Lead System Engineer Harrison Barr | Research & Development Sowmy Thuppal, MD, PhD | Business Manager Tiffany Shuma | Faculty Advisor Traves Crabtree, MD |