Medical Student Experiential Learning in Telesimulation

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Simulation Technology
• Experiential Learning

Background:

• Telesimulation uses telecommunication for remote learning, but student experiences and learning assessments are not well understood.
• Understanding the nuances of telesimulation is crucial for optimizing its use in medical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate medical students' emotional experiences and self-identified learning during telesimulation activities.
• To apply the Kolb experiential learning framework and qualitative analysis to assess telesimulation outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Fourth-year medical students participated in three telesimulation sessions.
• Surveys assessed satisfaction (N=114), emotional experience, and self-identified learning.
• Qualitative content analysis of free-text responses identified key themes (N=66).

Main Results:

• Over 90% of students reported high satisfaction with simulation realism, debrief quality, and group size.
• Identified emotional themes included anxiety, confidence, team dynamics, and patient interaction.
• Learning themes encompassed communication, emotional management, differential diagnosis, and medical knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Telesimulation fosters rich emotional, cognitive, and behavioral experiences for medical students.
• Findings support further investigation of telesimulation for medical education.
• The Kolb framework aids in defining learning outcomes from simulation experiences.