SLICE2 is Now NewWorld Clinician Education

The virtual clinic formerly known as "Second Life Initiative for Clinician Education" or "SLICE2" is now the "NewWorld Initiative for Clinician Education". The name has been updated to be inclusive of all virtual environments in which educational activities are being developed.

Visit us in world or on the web at "www.NewWorldClinic.com" and "www.NewWorldLearning.org". These are sister sites founded independently by Gerald R. Stapleton who is also Director for Distance Education for the Department of Medical Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. The twin sites are intended to further discussion regarding the development of educational methods that utilize virtual environments. The NewWorld Clinic site is especially focused on tools to improve communication skills for healthcare professionals. Interested individuals are welcome to join and participate in either or both sites.

About SLICE2...

The Second Life Initiative for Clinician Education (SLICE2) is a virtual clinic hosting learning activities designed to assist medical students and physicians to improve their skills in communication, teaching, teamwork, life-long learning, practice management, patient safety and other areas identified in the ACGME General Competencies. SLICE2 has been created and managed independently by Gerald R. Stapleton who is a member of the faculty and Director of Distance Education with the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Department of Medical Education to explore the potential for such activities offered in virtual environments.

Where did the new SLICE2 Pier Campus get its name?

As a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago having returned after many years to a role as a member of the faculty and Director of Distance Education, Gerald R. Stapleton is delighted to have an opportunity to share a little UIC history through the naming of the SLICE2 Pier Campus. The Pier Campus is named to recognize an important chapter in the history of UIC. The University of Illinois at Chicago traces its origins to several private health colleges founded during the late nineteenth century, including the Chicago College of Pharmacy, which opened in 1859, the College of Physicians and Surgeons (1882), and the Columbian College of Dentistry (1891). In 1961, these colleges became the University of Illinois at the Medical Center (UIMC).

Following World War II, the University of Illinois increased its presence in Chicago by creating a branch campus housed on Navy Pier along the shores of Lake Michigan. The campus accommodated primarily student veterans on the G.I. Bill. In 1961, Mayor Richard J. Daley offered a new site in Chicago's historic Near West Side, for a new campus. Named the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle (UICC), the new campus opened in February 1965.

In 1982, the Medical Center and Circle Campus consolidated to form the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). This merger strengthened the University's potential for scholarly excellence, and pushed UIC to Carnegie Research 1 institution status in 1987.