USF hopes surgery center will have global reach

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A new University of South Florida surgery simulator is expected to draw thousands of medical professionals from around the world to Tampa to train.

USF says the $38 million Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation is the largest of its kind, with 90,000 square feet under one roof. Among its features are 39 surgical stations and a trauma operating room where the setting can be changed to mimic a battlefield in Afghanistan or a busy urban emergency department.

High-tech mannequins can be programmed to simulate sudden changes in patient conditions, which can help evaluate the snap decision-making skills of medical professionals.

Dr. Darrell Kirch, president of the independent Association of American Medical Colleges, predicts the center will become a "destination learning center" for physicians worldwide.