The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) continued its dominance last week of the national simulation competition by claiming its fifth national championship in the last seven years.

Since 2017, ACOM has also won three international championships.

The most recent national championship came June 15-17 in Phoenix, Arizona as ACOM bested seven other teams vying for the crown, which included two teams from ACOM. The other schools represented were: Armed Forces College of Medicine/Egypt, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Universidad Autonoma de Gaudalajara School of Medicine (UAG Owls), Yale School of Medicine and Instituto Technologico de Santo Dimingo.

The “Biohazards,” which was comprised of all first-year female students, included, Hannah Rose Mixon (Captain), Sireen Salin Hilo, Sandra Fanous, Sanjana Rasamsetti and Sonia Patel.

“I’m proud of this team of first-year students,” John T. Giannini Jr, MD, associate professor of Internal Medicine/director of Simulation said. “This championship speaks to the simulation program and the integral component it plays in ACOM’s curriculum and training. They are seeing the same cases in the simulation lab that they are learning about in the classroom.”

In addition to Dr. Giannini, the simulation program faculty includes Jim Nolin, FNP-C, instructor of Primary Clinical Skills, Dianne Walker, simulation curriculum coordinator, Justin Bonds, simulation technology specialist and four sim fellows.

“We are proud that this success represents the solid and strong foundation of medical education that all of our students receive,” said James C. Jones, DO, FACEP, ACOM Dean. “This is reinforced through their training in the simulation center.”

Dr. Giannini, Mr. Nolin and Ms. Walker, who head ACOM’s program, are well respected in the simulation world.