We already know that dolls are not only for child’s play. Today, dolls have evolved from a mere entertainment to a medical training tool to equip medical students to practice on before handling real life situations. Infants and children are one of the most difficult sensitive patients especially in an emergency situation. Most nurses and doctors find it hard to even put in a dextrose needle or a PICC line to a toddler especially when they are afraid. The challenge is always there but familiarizing the task and practicing these skills to a real kid is not an option at all. The safer alternative and the best solution to this issue is the use of medical training dolls.

Medical training dolls vary in purpose and these are anatomically lifelike. It is a medical training device which is designed for gastrostomy training, IV insertion simulation, tracheal tube suctioning, urethral catheter insertion, oral suctioning, needle insertion, colostomy stoma care, and many others. Some of these dolls are elaborately designed in which some have its own implanted gastrostomy device and even a feeding tube. Even the oral cavity of the doll is skillfully designed to open for suction cathether training including its nostrils.

These medical training aides are very helpful to medical practitioners and students to familiarize themselves with some medical processes since practicing these to a real person is not a safe or even an ethical option. These dolls vary in design and purpose. Aside from pediatrics, some doll models are designed with an adult anatomy for a more specific medical training such as a by-pass or a kidney surgery.

Most of these medical dolls are categorized according to procedural skills and some does not have a full anatomical model of the human body especially the adult anatomy models.

Nevertheless, some of these dolls are electronic and mechanical which even have its own heart rate to really resemble real human reaction. These are programmed to simulate real life situation just like a medical infant doll that can cry, coo, and even burp. One wise feature is the abuse light indicator which blinks when the infant doll is dropped.

Definitely, this is technology which had been best applied in education and life-saving purposes. The best teacher is always the hands on learning and medical training dolls are the best education aides to prepare medical students, staff, paramedics, and medical practitioners for the worst possible scenarios. Even expecting parents or those who have newborns can choose from several options to familiarize themselves of proper child care.