The Use of Contextualized Standardized Client Simulation to Develop Clinical Reasoning in Final-Year Veterinary...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Education
• Clinical Skills Development
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Clinical reasoning is crucial for veterinary students.
• Evidence for simulation's effectiveness in veterinary education is limited.
• Standardized client simulations offer a potential training method.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a standardized client simulation on final-year veterinary students' clinical reasoning ability and confidence.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of simulation in improving clinical decision-making skills.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-eight final-year veterinary students participated in three simulated primary-care consultations.
• Actors played standardized clients, and healthy animals were used.
• Data collected via surveys, validated self-assessment rubrics, and blinded video analysis.
• Focus groups explored student experiences with the simulation.

Main Results:

• All participants reported improved clinical decision-making.
• Self-assessments showed enhanced perception of clinical reasoning skills post-simulation.
• Blinded analysis revealed significant improvements in history-taking and data interpretation (including differential diagnosis formation).
• Focus groups highlighted the simulation's role in bridging educational and practical decision-making.

Conclusions:

• Standardized client simulation is an effective tool for developing clinical reasoning in veterinary students.
• Simulation helps students adapt their decision-making from academic to practical settings.
• Further research is needed to explore simulation's full potential in veterinary medical education.