New Immersive Learning Hub at UAG Enhances Medical Training

Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG) launched the Immersive Health Education Center (CIES), a new facility within its Institute of Biological Sciences designed to integrate advanced technology into medical education. 

CIES offers a multifunctional space that incorporates AI and various high-tech methodologies to enhance learning in fields related to structure, function, and biological fundamentals. The inauguration was led by UAG Rector Antonio Leaño Reyes as part of the institution's 90th-anniversary celebrations.

 “The incorporation of the Immersive Health Education Center enables a more comprehensive training for students by combining theoretical knowledge with advanced technological tools such as artificial intelligence,” said Alfonso Petersen Farah, Vice President, UAG. “This evolution seeks to improve learning by equipping future medical professionals with both scientific and practical skills to face the challenges of the profession,” added Petersen.

CIES is equipped with advanced laboratories for studying human structure and function, a Digital Life Lab for research in biology, pharmacology, and genetics, as well as interactive platforms, augmented and virtual reality simulators, virtual patients, and digital microscopy tools. The facility also features an environment designed with neuroarchitecture principles to optimize concentration, learning, and well-being. Each session within CIES is structured to be dynamic and collaborative, fostering problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork among students, states UAG. 

The center seeks to benefit students in medicine, dentistry, nursing, nutrition, physiotherapy, psychology, and pharmaceutical biology, noted Beatriz Tinoco Torres, Dean of Medicine, UAG. Tinoco described CIES as an immersive and collaborative learning ecosystem that goes beyond traditional laboratories by incorporating digital simulation platforms and artificial intelligence tools to build critical skills for modern medical practice.

UAG’s achievements include six registered patents, seven technological projects, 15 scientific dissemination projects, and three State Science Awards, emphasized Horacio Fernández Castillo, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Jalisco. “Centers like CIES contribute to the region’s scientific and technological growth, positioning the university as a key strategic partner for Jalisco's development,” stated Fernández. 

Meanwhile, Héctor Raúl Pérez, Minister of Health, Jalisco, explained how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and immersive digital environments, are now enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of medical education. Pérez emphasized the importance of maintaining ethical and humanistic values in medical training alongside technological advancements.