'Boot camp' teaches doctor, nurse teamwork

Rochester General Hospital first-year residents learned cooperation through state-of-the-art simulations during a resident boot camp Wednesday at St. John Fisher College. The pilot program, held in partnership with Fisher, brought together first-year internal medicine and pharmacy residents, nurse practitioner students and respiratory therapists. "Medicine is a team sport," said Dr. Richard Sterns, RGH internal medicine residency program director. "Teamwork is essential for safety, efficiency and patient satisfaction." During the Intensive Care Unit portion of the eight-week boot camp, the interdisciplinary teams practiced cooperating in tough scenarios such as a patient having a major heart attack or dying under their care.