Medical Trainees’ Attitudes about the Value of Simulation in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Program of King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objective: Simulation was introduced as an educational method in the Obstetric and Gynecology (OB-GYN) to enhance the quality of trainees’ medical education, knowledge, and skills acquisition. This questionnaire-based study aimed to assess types of simulation used and satisfaction with simulation -based education (SBE) among medical trainees in the OB-GYN program of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia before and during COVID- 19. Method: A total of 1131 undergraduate and postgraduate medical students were registered in the OB-GYN programs and participated in the SBE activities utilizing KAU-CSSC from 2018 through 2020. total, 581 requested to participated in questionnaire, only 300 students completed the questionnaire. Results: Simulations were used most frequently for skills training (91.3%), followed by mannequin-based scenarios (63.0%), virtual reality (41.3%), standardized patients (34.0%), and tissue-based scenarios (32.1%). OB-GYN simulations can help trainees and instructors overcome problems in conducting intimate-area examinations and improve their gynecological history-taking skills. Trainees recommended mandatory establishment of simulation skills centers in every hospital and medical college and the use of online simulation tools after COVID-19. The mean of total score for simulation use was 49.63 out of 60 points. A total of 218 trainees (72.7%) had a positive attitude toward simulation use and 82 (27.3%) had a more neutral attitude. Conclusions: The study results revealed the usefulness of low and high-fidelity SBE among OB-GYN medical trainees in concerning their teaching, training, and objective assessments. The cumulative mean score suggested that the trainees were satisfied with simulation-based modules and practical learning. SBE provided a valuable alternative opportunity for exposure to clinical cases during COVID-19, allowing interactive virtual demonstrations of simple clinical examinations and procedures while attending to infection control concerns relating to COVID-19