Improving physicians' surgical ward round competence through simulation-based training.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Clinical Skills Development

Background:

• Ward rounds are fundamental to physician training but often inconsistently implemented.
• Effective training interventions are needed to enhance ward round competence.
• Assessing the efficacy of educational tools for ward rounds is a critical research area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a simulation-based tutorial for improving fourth-year medical students' ward round competence.
• To assess the impact of a specific training intervention on the practical skills of medical students during surgical ward rounds.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with fourth-year medical students.
• The intervention group received a simulation-based tutorial including casework and ward round simulation.
• Ward round competence was assessed using a validated tool by blinded raters; student motivation was also measured.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed a significant improvement in ward round competence scores post-training (62.6 to 69.6, p=0.0169).
• The control group did not exhibit significant changes in competence scores (66.1 to 64.8, p=0.72).
• Simulation-based training proved effective in enhancing surgical ward round skills.

Conclusions:

• Simulation-based training is an effective educational strategy for improving medical students' competence in conducting surgical ward rounds.
• Participation in such training is valuable for preparing students for professional practice.