AI Technology to Enhance Medical Training
A combined $2 million investment from the Springfield Memorial Foundation and SIU School of Medicine will support new medical training technologies through the Ed Curtis Laboratory for Innovation in Medical Education (ECLIME).
The Springfield Memorial Foundation awarded a $1 million grant, which was matched by a $1 million commitment from SIU School of Medicine’s Dean’s Fund for Excellence. The funding will support the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR) to create realistic training environments for medical students, residents and other healthcare professionals.
The technology allows medical students to practice clinical procedures, improve diagnostic skills and develop patient communication techniques without putting actual patients at risk. Virtual patient encounters, surgical simulations and AI-powered scenarios provide opportunities for repeated practice and personalized feedback.
“The future of medicine depends on how well we prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals,” said Dr. Ian B. K. Martin, provost and dean of SIU School of Medicine and CEO of SIU Medicine. “This investment reflects our shared commitment to advancing medical education through innovation.”
Since early 2025, ECLIME has launched more than 20 research projects focused on improving educational outcomes. The projects explore how AI can provide feedback, strengthen communication skills and support learning while maintaining the important role of faculty mentorship.
One project currently in development, called “Difficult Conversations,” will allow medical students to practice delivering serious diagnoses to patients. Another scenario will help teachers practice discussing challenging situations with students’ parents, demonstrating how the technology could be used beyond healthcare.
“This grant will be a transformational investment in the future of healthcare,” said Pam Hulten, director of the Springfield Memorial Foundation. “It reflects our commitment to ensuring donor dollars create meaningful, lasting impact.”
Memorial Health President and CEO Mandy Eaton said the investment builds on the organization's 50-year partnership with SIU Medicine and will strengthen collaboration as artificial intelligence creates new opportunities in medical education and patient care.
ECLIME is directed by Pinckney Benedict, with Dr. Traves Crabtree serving as faculty adviser, Dr. Sowmy Thuppal leading research and development and Jakob Crabtree serving as lead systems engineer. The program also collaborates with the Edgar J. Curtis Memorial Learning Center at SIU School of Medicine, which houses the Simulation Center and Roland J. Folse Surgical Skills Center.
The investment will help ECLIME expand personalized, technology-driven training designed to better prepare healthcare professionals for clinical practice.
