Development and Utilization of 3D Printed Material for Thoracotomy Simulation.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Emergency Medicine Training

Background:

• Medical simulation is crucial for mastering difficult or rare procedures.
• Mannequin-based simulation is common in emergency medicine (EM) residency programs.
• Novel training tools are needed to supplement existing simulation methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of 3D printed models for practicing invasive procedures.
• To assess the impact of simulation training on emergency medicine residents' confidence.
• To compare comfort levels before and after simulation using 3D printed models.

Main Methods:

• Developed 3D printed models for practicing invasive procedures.
• Conducted simulation training with emergency medicine residents at an inner-city teaching hospital.
• Administered surveys to assess comfort levels at baseline, post-video, and post-simulation.

Main Results:

• Resident comfort increased by 9.5% after watching an educational video.
• Hands-on simulation with 3D printed models led to a 71.4% increase in comfort from baseline.
• Simulation training significantly improved resident confidence in performing invasive procedures.

Conclusions:

• 3D printed models offer a viable and effective alternative for medical simulation.
• Simulation using 3D printed models significantly enhances resident comfort and confidence in invasive procedures.
• This approach holds potential for improving training across various invasive medical procedures.