Buffalo, NY – Healthcare professionals training at Catholic Health now have a powerful new training tool at their disposal, courtesy of Canisius University. On April 7, the university’s Physician Assistant Studies Program donated a high-fidelity medical simulation mannequin to Catholic Health Clinical Education. The equipment is capable of replicating real patient emergencies to help clinicians sharpen critical, potentially life-saving skills.
“This mannequin has been a remarkable teaching tool for our students, helping them develop the clinical skills and confidence they need to deliver exceptional patient care,” said Aimee Larson, DMSc, PA-C, chair and program director of PA Studies at Canisius. “It felt only right to extend its impact by placing it with an organization doing such important work for our community. We couldn’t think of a better home for it.”
For Catholic Health Clinical Education, the donated mannequin represents a meaningful addition to their training capabilities.
“Catholic Health is grateful to Canisius University for this generous donation as high-fidelity simulation helps our clinicians practice realistic emergency scenarios in a safe learning environment, strengthening clinical judgment, teamwork and ultimately the quality of care we provide to our patients and community,” said Maria Richardson, MS, RN, CCRN, director of Clinical Education Services for Catholic Health.
Medical simulation mannequins are sophisticated, lifelike training tools used throughout healthcare education to replicate real patient scenarios — from routine assessments to high-stakes emergency situations. They allow clinicians and students to build and refine critical skills in a safe, controlled environment, without risk to actual patients.
The donation reflects the way Canisius engages with its surrounding community – as an active partner invested in Buffalo’s growth and well-being. By connecting faculty expertise and institutional resources with the needs of local organizations, the university builds strategic, service-driven partnerships that strengthen the region’s educational, healthcare and civic fabric.
The Canisius University Physician Assistant Studies Program is a seven-semester master’s degree program combining classroom instruction with clinical training. Students spend the first three semesters in didactic learning with access to cutting-edge technology, a medical library of 120+ textbooks, online resources, and simulation lab practice. The final four semesters focus on clinical rotations in diverse specialties, including family medicine, hospital medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, women’s health, pediatrics, internal medicine, behavioral health, and electives such as orthopedics, critical care, and cardiology. The program culminates with board review, final skills assessments, a master’s poster project, and a practice PA National Certification Exam (PACKRAT).
The PA Studies Program holds Accreditation-Provisional status from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), a recognition of its sustained compliance with national standards for PA education. The program prepares students for careers defined by clinical excellence, ethical leadership, and compassionate care.
About Catholic Health
With roots dating back to Buffalo’s first hospital in 1848, Catholic Health provides high-quality healthcare to people throughout Western New York through a comprehensive network of hospitals, subacute and long-term care facilities, ambulatory care centers, physician practices, and home care agencies. The $1.5 billion healthcare system includes Kenmore Mercy Hospital; Mercy Hospital of Buffalo; Mount St. Mary’s Hospital and its Lockport Memorial Hospital Campus; Sisters of Charity Hospital and its St. Joseph Campus; and numerous Home & Community-Based Care Services locations. Together with more than 9,000 associates and nearly 1,500 physician partners—including Trinity Medical and Catholic Medical Partners—Catholic Health is leading the transformation of healthcare, creating healthier communities, and carrying out its mission to reveal the healing love of Jesus to all. To learn more, visit chsbuffalo.org
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
