Innovating medical education: Development of an affordable, 3-D printed knot-tying simulator

Three-dimensional (3-D) printing offers an innovative option to produce clinical simulators because of its low production costs and widespread availability. We aimed to develop a low-cost, 3-D printed knot-tying simulator that overcomes the barriers students face in self-directed skills development.

Medical students completing a procedural residency preparation course (PRPC) completed a pre-survey with Likert scales and multiple choice questions to assess their perceptions of and barriers to self-directed knot-tying practice. Subsequently, a 3-D printed knot-tying simulator, which contains a progression of knot-tying challenges and a designated video curriculum, was designed. After utilising the simulator in a 1-hour, faculty-guided knot-tying session, PRPC students assessed the educational utility and usability of the simulator via a post-survey.

The primary barriers students faced in engaging in self-directed knot-tying practice included limited accessibility to simulators and insufficient knowledge of knot-tying techniques. Many students (91.3%, n = 21) agreed that practicing with the simulator improved their knot-tying motor skills and was easy to use (100%, n = 23). Twenty-two (95.7%) students agreed that they would continue to use the simulator beyond the knot-tying session and PRPC.

We demonstrate the educational utility and usability of a novel 3-D printed knot-tying simulator for medical education. Enabling students to engage in self-directed technical skills development is critical in developing surgical skills that can translate to clinical environments. Our simulator highlights the benefits of 3-D printers as an innovative, inexpensive option to improve the availability and accessibility to medical education tools.