Simple, actionable solutions can help in medical education by simplifying complex problems. The use of simple simulations can enhance available training, reaching rural areas, and facilitating medical students faster than traditional methods. In the well-to-do countries of the world, there are sophisticated simulators of the human body from babies to seniors in medical schools. In Nicaragua, the situation is quite different. Nicaragua is one of the poorest country in the hemisphere is trying to develop itself. The resources available to the medical schools are minimal. There is almost no money for health simulators, and those that are donated as cast offs from other countries are complicated to make work in Nicaragua, or do not work at all. Sending sophisticated medical equipment to countries without the ability to maintain, repair, or operate it does not work.

This account describes how two of the authors are developing simple, focused simulations by addressing one problem at a time. In this case, the challenge was infant CPR training and how to do it without injuring or accidentally killing the baby. This is important in medical schools and in training rural medical workers, as little hands-on training is available. Due to a cancellation in other programing, the time was available for a two-day challenge.

The Nicaraguan universities graduate a considerable number of doctors, who are trained with limited equipment and hands-on training. Thus, the need for simulation is high. However, in-country resources are limited. Two of the authors decided to work on overcoming this and turn dolls into CPR simulators in country. Success in doing this work gives great hope for continuing with projects that can help in medical education in the medical school, and also in medical centers amongst the rural poor. Creating affordable simulations for learning is important for the future of education in the less-resourced countries.

One of the exciting parts of this project is that the engineer from the US worked side by side with a talented faculty member of the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua. This encourages the local faculty to create, buy, or repair parts that are needed to make the simulation work again, should a future problem arise. This adds a sustainable element to the project, something that is oftentimes forgotten about. As the pair worked together, each learns from the other.

Keywords: Education, Medical Simulation, Medical Education, Arduino.