Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 2, 2025
In Silico Clinical Trials for Cardiovascular Disease
Published on: May 27, 2022
Design, assembly and validation of a low-cost, high-fidelity simulator for heart exploration
Ulises Sánchez-Vásquez1, Alba B Daniel-Guerrero2, Eduardo Méndez-Gutiérrez2
1Department of Anesthesiology, Centro Médico ABC.
Introduction:
Heart exploration is an essential clinical competence that requires continuous training and exposure. Low availability and accessibility to patients with heart disease constitutes a barrier to acquiring this competence. Inadequate cardiac auscultation skills in medical students, residents, and graduate physicians have been documented.
Objective:
To develop and validate a low-cost, high-fidelity simulator for heart exploration.
Methods:
A low-cost, high-fidelity heart examination simulator capable of reproducing normal cardiac sounds was designed and developed. Subsequently, the simulator was validated by a group of experts who gave their opinion according to a Likert scale.
Results:
Ninety-four percent agreed that the simulator motivates the learning of heart exploration, and 92 % considered it to be a realistic model; 91 % considered that the simulator is an attractive tool to reinforce learning and 98 % recommended its further use.
Conclusions:
The use of the simulator facilitates the acquisition of skills and stimulates learning in the student, which can be attributed to repeated practice, longer exposure time and cognitive interaction.
