Simulation Fellowships: Survey of Current Summative Assessment Practices

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Simulation
• Assessment Strategies

Background:

• Healthcare simulation fellowships are developing core curricula but lack standardized evaluation methods.
• Current assessment strategies for fellows' progress require further development and validation.
• Defining expertise post-training in simulation requires robust assessment frameworks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey North American fellowship directors on current fellow assessment practices.
• To identify competencies used for monitoring simulation fellows' progress.
• To determine the use of assessment tools with published validity evidence.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to North American simulation fellowship directors.
• A follow-up survey clarified the use of assessment tools with published validity evidence.
• Response rates for both surveys were analyzed.

Main Results:

• 72.1% of programs reported using some formal assessment for fellows.
• Debriefing was the most commonly assessed skill among fellows.
• The Debriefing Assessment for Simulation in Healthcare was the most frequently reported validated tool.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant lack of validated assessment tools in use for monitoring simulation fellow progression.
• Validated assessment tools are crucial for refining fellowship training in healthcare simulation.
• Further research should prioritize the creation and validation of assessment instruments for simulation education.