Abstract
BackgroundSimulation-based medical education has rapidly evolved over the past two decades, despite this, there are few published reports of its use in critical care teaching. We hypothesised that simulation-based teaching of a critical care topic to final-year medical students is superior to lecture-based teaching.MethodsThirty-nine final-year medical students were randomly assigned to either simulation-based or lecture-based teaching in the chosen critical care topic. The study was conducted over a 6-week period. Efficacy of each teaching method was compared through use of multiple choice questionnaires (MCQ) - baseline, post-teaching and 2 week follow-up. Student satisfaction was evaluated by means of a questionnaire. Feasibility and resource requirements were documented by teachers.ResultsEighteen students were randomised to simulation-based, and 21 to lecture-based teaching. There were no differences in age and gender between groups (p > 0.05).Simulation proved more resource intensive requiring specialised equipment, two instructors, and increased duration of teaching sessions (126.7 min (SD = 4.71) vs 68.3 min (SD = 2.36)).Students ranked simulation-based teaching higher with regard to enjoyment (p = 0.0044), interest (p = 0.0068), relevance to taught subject (p = 0.0313), ease of understanding (p = 0.0476) and accessibility to posing questions (p = 0.001).Both groups demonstrated improvement in post-teaching MCQ from baseline (p = 0.0002), with greater improvement seen among the simulation group (p = 0.0387), however, baseline scores were higher among the lecture group. The results of the 2-week follow-up MCQ and post-teaching MCQ were not statistically significant when each modality were compared.DiscussionSimulation was perceived as more enjoyable by students. Although there was a greater improvement in post-teaching MCQ among the simulator group, baseline scores were higher among lecture group which limits interpretation of efficacy. Simulation is more resource intensive, as demonstrated by increased duration and personnel required, and this may have affected our results.ConclusionsThe current pilot may be of use in informing future studies in this area.
Highlights
Simulation-based medical education has rapidly evolved over the past two decades, despite this, there are few published reports of its use in critical care teaching
There exists an inherent difficulty in imparting knowledge on complex topics that are difficult to grasp for medical students who often have had minimal exposure to direct patient care
Two students were excluded from the study due to non completion of the pre- or the postteaching multiple choice questionnaires (MCQ)
Summary
Simulation-based medical education has rapidly evolved over the past two decades, despite this, there are few published reports of its use in critical care teaching. There exists an inherent difficulty in imparting knowledge on complex topics that are difficult to grasp for medical students who often have had minimal exposure to direct patient care. Simulation-based medical education is gaining popularity with much discussion in the literature of its proposed merits [2]. Critical care teaching may be suited to simulation-based education as it is often not feasible to demonstrate live critical care scenarios to medical students in the hospital setting. Our literature research has revealed few studies of its use in the education of medical students in critical care
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