New State-of-the-Art Surgical Education Centre Launches in Canada with Johnson & Johnson Self-Directed Skills Lab

Group of people with masks

Photo Credit: Ryan Buan


The newly launched Temerty Advanced Surgical Education & Simulation Centre, home of the Johnson & Johnson Self-Directed Skills Lab, opened its doors earlier this year and the Canadian J&J MedTech* team was among its first visitors.  
 
In 2018 J&J MedTech entered into a collaboration agreement with the University Health Network (UHN) Foundation and the Michener Institute of Education at UHN located in downtown Toronto, to support the development of the Temerty Centre and the J&J Self-Directed Skills Lab, a reflection of the J&J commitment to excellence in medical education. 
 
The Lab is designed for surgical residents and early career and seasoned surgeons to practice, develop and hone their skills. Each of the 10 bays in the space is equipped with a camera and microphone to record practice sessions and then share the sessions with some of Canada’s leading surgical educators for feedback. Eventually, the aim is to equip the Lab with a task trainer for each of the surgical disciplines across UHN.  
 
“The Temerty Centre is designed to transform how surgical education is delivered in Canada, giving learners around-the-clock access to tools such as skills trainers, and virtual reality modules that will allow them to safely develop and hone their surgical skills,” says Dr. Allan Okrainec, Medical Director of the Temerty Centre. “What we discover in these labs is then studied in the Centre’s innovation hub, contributing to advanced surgical techniques that promote faster recovery.”

It was the vision of Drs. Allan Okrainec, Brian Hodges and Shaf Keshavjee of UHN, that inspired J&J MedTech to act and join this journey of advancing excellence in science education. 

“J&J was founded on the idea that innovation, science and training will help change the trajectory of health for humanity,” says James Brodie, General Manager, Canada, J&J MedTech. “We are proud to play a small, yet important role in the forefront of that change.” 

This collaboration agreement provides an opportunity, alongside @JLabsToronto, to bring the breadth and depth of Johnson & Johnson to the innovation healthcare ecosystem of downtown Toronto. 

Pictured from left to right:

  • Karen Chaiton
    Director, Business Operations for the Temerty Advanced Surgical Education and Simulation Centre
  • James Brodie
    General Manager, Johnson & Johnson MedTech Canada
  • Brian Hodges MD, PhD, FRCPC
    EVP Education and Chief Medical Officer, UHN, Professor | Temerty Faculty of Medicine | University of Toronto, President-Elect, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
  • Thomas L. Forbes, MD, FRCSC, FACS
    Surgeon-in-Chief & James Wallace McCutcheon Chair, Sprott Department of Surgery | University Health Network, Professor | Department of Surgery | Temerty Faculty of Medicine | University of Toronto
  • Allan Okrainec, M.D., F.R.C.S.C
    Medical Director, Temerty Advanced Surgical Education and Simulation Centre, Head of the Division of General Surgery, UHN, Associate Professor | Department of Surgery

*Johnson & Johnson MedTech, a division of Johnson & Johnson (Canada) Inc.

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