In poverty simulation, UNLV students confront obstacles their future patients may face
Seeking out health care is often secondary to survival for people living near the poverty line, UNLV students learned firsthand while participating in a simulation earlier this month.
Groups of first and second-year medical students sat at the center of a gym at UNLV on a recent Saturday, surrounded by tables with labels such as child care center, payday loan business and transportation center. When a buzzer sounded, they began a role-playing exercise aimed at helping them understand the realities facing the estimated 12.5 percent of Nevadans who live in poverty.
In four 15-minute time slots, with each segment accounting