Medical students' learning experience with the Eyesi slit lamp simulator

Abstract

Introduction: Simulation technology is constantly improving medical education in various fields. In ophthalmology, simulation is already successfully used to teach conservative and surgical skills. In 2022, the Eyesi slit lamp simulator was introduced for the first time, allowing students to learn various examination techniques and ocular pathologies. This study describes medical students' learning experience.Methods: In this exploratory study, 50 medical students without previous experience with slit lamp examination were selected. Each student then had two training sessions, one with the classic slit lamp and one with the Eyesi slit lamp simulator. At the end of the training, students compared their learning experiences in the two sessions using a questionnaire.Results: The simulator course was considered useful for learning slit lamp examinations (p = 0.05). Slit lamp simulator was particularly beneficial for learning ocular pathologies (p = 0.03), as these were constantly available and systemically presented without the need of direct contact with patients. On the other hand, examination of a healthy eye was judged to be better learned (p < 0.001) by reciprocal examination with the real slit lamp.Conclusion: The Eyesi slit lamp simulator provides a structured and promising learning experience. Thanks to the growing library of modelled clinical cases, ocular pathologies can be learned in situations similar to everyday life without the need for patients to be present, allowing students to learn at their own pace and ask questions without being shy in front of patients.