The Aga Khan University’s Centre for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME) in Karachi successfully hosted a large-scale Paediatric Critical Care Master Course, a high-impact, simulation-based training designed to enhance the capacity of paediatricians to recognize and manage critically ill children.
“In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Pakistan, pediatricians are often the first point of contact for critically ill children, frequently without access to structured training in pediatric critical care. This course was developed to address this critical gap through an intensive, hands-on learning experience focused on practical skills, clinical reasoning, and real-world decision-making,” said Dr Qalab Abbas, Consultant Pediatrician at AKUH, and Course Lead.
The Critical Care course brought together 60 practising paediatricians from across Pakistan, including participants from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Kashmir, and Sindh. The strong national representation highlighted both the demand for and the importance of advancing paediatric critical care competencies across diverse healthcare settings.
The course featured multiple structured clinical stations covering essential topics in paediatric critical care, including diagnosis and management of septic shock, interpretation of arterial blood gases (ABGs), central line insertion and video laryngoscopy, invasive ventilation, respiratory failure, oxygen titration, non-invasive ventilation (NIV), critical care pharmacology, and CPR. These stations ensured participants gained hands-on exposure to high-risk, high-impact clinical scenarios commonly encountered in practice.
A defining feature of the course was the use of high-fidelity simulation, enabling participants to engage in realistic clinical scenarios within a safe, controlled environment. This approach allowed learners to practice critical interventions, make time-sensitive decisions, and receive immediate, structured feedback through expert-led debriefing sessions.
“At CIME, our goal is to transform healthcare education through innovation and simulation. Programmes like this not only build individual competencies but also contribute to improving patient outcomes at a systems level,” said Dr Faisal Ismail, Regional Director (South Asia), CIME.
The Pediatric Critical Care Master Course reflects CIME’s ongoing commitment to advancing healthcare education through simulation and addressing critical training gaps in resource-constrained settings - ultimately contributing to better outcomes for children across Pakistan.
