Simulation-based education in neurology: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Neurology Clerkship
• COVID-19 Pandemic Impact

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global education, affecting over 1.37 million students, including medical trainees.
• Medical education faced challenges in maintaining clerkships within biosafety protocols during the pandemic.
• Ensuring clinical skill acquisition in a safe environment became a priority for medical schools worldwide.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a simulated hospital on medical students' neurology clerkship during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To compare the learning experience and outcomes of students in a simulated environment versus a traditional setting.
• To assess the effectiveness of simulated hospital training for clinical skill development in medical education.

Main Methods:

• A simulated hospital environment was implemented for a neurology clerkship with 5-year medical students during the pandemic.
• Student satisfaction was assessed using a Likert scale survey for the pandemic group.
• Both pandemic and non-pandemic groups underwent oral, mid-term, and final examinations for outcome comparison.

Main Results:

• 93.1% of students perceived that the simulated hospital facilitated their learning process.
• 77.3% of students reported greater interaction with the teacher in the simulated environment compared to face-to-face.
• No clinically significant differences were observed in the examination results between the pandemic and non-pandemic groups.

Conclusions:

• Simulated hospitals are a valuable tool for acquiring clinical skills in medical trainees.
• This method can be integrated into medical education curricula irrespective of pandemic situations.
• Simulated environments offer a viable alternative for maintaining educational continuity and skill development.