CEKU and DIMS became CAMES in 2015
Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation (CAMES) is a fusion of Center for Clinical Education (CEKU) at Rigshospitalet og Danish Institute for Medical Simulation (DIMS) at Herlev Hospital, administratively situated under the Education Unit of the Capital Region's Centre for Human Resources. The fusion was based on a shared ambition of providing simulation based teaching, training, development and research with an international scope.
Simulation for 20 years
For the last 20 years thousands of health professionals, researchers and developers, especially from the Capital Region but also from the rest of Denmark and abroad, have benefitted from simulation based education, development and research at CEKU, Rigshospitalet, and DIMS, Herlev Hospital.
Close collaboration with the clinic
The close collaboration with the clinic along with a systematic focus on supporting all groups of health professionals resulted in measurably higher effect of treatments and higher patient safety for many of our collaboration partners.
High level of ambition beckoned a fusion
This made both CEKU and DIMS sought after as educational facilites, research units and development partners. The demand for the competences and facilites that CEKU and DIMS offered became great enough that it was obvious to merge the units into one academy.
The establishing of CAMES allows us to offer education, research and development at the highest international level. After the fusion, CAMES consists of 2 professors, 20 Ph.D.-students, around 60 administrative and technical staff members and over 100 teachers of which the majority also holds clinical positions.
CAMES activities at Rigshospitalet
Activities at Rigshospitalet takes place in the Teilum Building (ground floor and 1st floor) and at Hammershusgade in what was formerly known as CEKU. CEKU was established in 2004 with the merger of Laboratory for Clinical Skills (established in 1996) og H:S Postgraduate Medical Institute (established in 1997) in collaboration between Rigshospitalet/The Capital Region of Denmark and Copenhagen University's Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.
Graduate and post-graduate education
At Rigshospitalet CAMES manages mandatory courses for medical students Copenhagen University (clinical skill and communication) and postgraduate education (pedagogy and communicaton). CAMES at Rigshospitalet also offers other courses for students, nurses and doctors along with simulation based training of technical procedures for a wide variety of medical specialities. All courses are flexible and includes a certification at the conclusion of the course.
CAMES activities at Herlev Hospital
Activities at Herlev Hospital primarily takes place at the 25th floor, 26th floor and the basement K1, where we have all in all 4.400 m2 of specialised simulation and teaching facilities.
Anaesthetic simulation
CAMES' activities at Herlev Hospital began with anesthetic simulation back in the 1990ies. Here, training concepts for doctors and nurses in the anesthesiological field was developed. In 2001 DIMS was established as an independent unit at Herlev Hospital, and after the formation of the hospital regions DIMS was organised under the Capital Region of Denmark.
Training of instructors, teams and specialists
At Herlev Hospital CAMES trains clinical counselors and instructors - both domestic and from abroad - in simulation. Furthermore CAMES holds a number of courses in relation to specialist and postgraduate education of paramedics, nurses, residents and participants in courses in leadership, administration and collaboration. CAMES also holds courses in basic life support and customised team training courses. Last but not least CAMES have administrational functions for several secretariats.