A manikin or human simulator-development of a tool for measuring students' perception

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Simulation in Healthcare
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Medical education utilizes manikins and standardized patients (SPs) for simulation-based learning.
• Student opinions on these modalities are crucial for curriculum planning and evaluation.
• A gap exists in validated scales comparing specific educational effects of manikin vs. SP simulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a questionnaire assessing final-year medical students' opinions on manikin and SP simulation.
• To provide a tool for comparing the effectiveness of different medical simulation modalities.

Main Methods:

• A 33-statement questionnaire was developed based on semi-structured interviews with 14 students.
• The experimental questionnaire was administered to 273 final-year medical students.
• The scale was tested and validated, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients reported for each subscale.

Main Results:

• A 33-statement questionnaire with two scales (manikins and SPs) was created.
• Two factors were identified for each scale: Doctor-patient relationship and practical aspects.
• Reliability analysis showed Cronbach's alpha of 0.721 for the manikin scale and 0.758 for the SP scale.

Conclusions:

• The questionnaire can assess medical students' views on manikin and SP simulation.
• Findings can inform curriculum planning and the implementation of specific simulation modalities.
• The tool supports aligning educational strategies with learning objectives.