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Setting Up a Stroke Team Algorithm and Conducting Simulation-based Training in the Emergency Department - A Practical Guide
Published on: January 15, 2017
Simulation-based teaching to improve cardiovascular exam skills performance among third-year medical students
Donna H Kern1, Arch G Mainous, Maura Carey
1Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425-1920, USA. kerndh@musc.edu
Background:
Evidence supports the need for improvement in cardiac physical examination skills training.
Purpose:
This study evaluates whether the addition of simulation offers added benefit over training utilizing standardized patients only.
Methods:
All 124 third-year students who completed the required clerkship in one academic year received cardiac examination skills training utilizing a standardized patient and a cardiac simulator. The control group, comprising 281 students from 2 previous academic years, received training utilizing a standardized patient only. All students' physical exam skills were assessed in an objective structured clinical examination.
Results:
Students trained with cardiac simulation performed significantly better than the control group in all 5 cardiac skills. The number of students who correctly performed all 5 cardiac exam skills increased significantly (p=.004). Pulmonary exam skills were unchanged.
Conclusion:
The use of simulation in addition to standardized patient teaching can improve students' performance of cardiac examination skills.
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