The Center for Experiential Learning & Assessment is an innovative clinical educational facility designed to train medical students and medical staff with two distinct programs – the Simulation Technologies Program and the Program in Human Simulation.

The Program in Human Simulation occupies 7,000 SF of space with a group of 12 exam rooms fully wired for voice and image recording. Actors are trained to be “patients” with specific symptoms and are examined by students, who are then reviewed on their performance by instructors to learn better ways of communicating with patients and handling of specific medical situations. The 6,000 SF Simulation Technologies Program is similar in concept, and is used as a training ground for health care providers. The simulation rooms, which are wired for audio and video recording and are observed from control rooms, can be arranged to simulate a number of scenarios including operating rooms, intensive care rooms, and/or emergency room settings. In addition to the Simulation Technologies Program Center, there is also a Virtual Reality room which contains three procedural computer training machines for different medical specialties.

The design of CELA involved careful coordination with Vanderbilt faculty and users, as well as intense coordination with acoustic and technology consultants to provide an environment that functioned for current needs, and would be adaptable for future technologies.