A two-year experience of an integrated simulation residency curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine Training
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Human Patient Simulation (HPS) is increasingly utilized in medical education.
• The specific role of HPS in Emergency Medicine (EM) residency programs remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the perceived effectiveness of HPS within an integrated EM residency curriculum.
• To compare resident perceptions of HPS with traditional teaching methods.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was administered to 54 EM residents (PGY 1-4) two years post-curriculum integration.
• Residents rated the perceived value of HPS and other educational formats on a 1-9 scale.
• Data were analyzed using Student t-tests to compare junior and senior resident perceptions.

Main Results:

• The survey achieved a 74% response rate (40 residents).
• HPS was perceived as more effective by junior residents (8.0) than senior residents (6.2; p<0.001).
• Perceptions of lectures, morbidity/mortality, and trauma conferences showed no significant difference between junior and senior residents.

Conclusions:

• HPS integration into EM residency curricula is positively perceived for improving knowledge acquisition and clinical decision-making.
• HPS effectiveness is rated higher in junior residency years, unlike traditional methods whose efficacy remains constant.
• Simulation-based learning offers a valuable adjunct to traditional methods in EM residency training.