Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine students get hands-on experience with Victoria birthing mannequins

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- OBGYN students at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine in Las Cruces were given unique, real-life experience on how to deliver a baby Tuesday, but not in the way one may think.

Victoria model birthing mannequins, described by the manufacturer as the "most life-like childbirth simulator" teach students how to deliver babies, and it even "produces" a mannequin infant within a day’s time.

They even mimic the screams of a woman in labor "to a tee," according to associate professor Preetpal Grewal at Burrell, who’s also a practicing OBYN.

“Here they are getting hands-on experience which just totally changes when you actually are talking to a patient, listening to their complaints, you know you kind of have an idea about the organs themselves, which I never had that opportunity," said Grewal to ABC-7 Tuesday.

The mannequins can produce many realistic situations, and because of this, students get to learn how to handle an array of common birthing complications, including shoulder dystocia, breech, and c-section deliveries.

“I think it’s really helpful to get to practice with as close as you can get to a real human," said Chandrika Sanapala, a second year OBGYN student at Burrell.

Sanapala she says the ability to practice the emotional aspect with the mannequins that she will eventually have with her own patients is just as important as the physical aspects.

“We get to figure out what to say, what not to say, and we’re able to refine that as we get to our third year," she added.

According to the manufacturer’s website, pricing for the Victoria simulators start at around $56,000, and the infant mannequin costs another $10,000.