Enhancing orthopaedic competency through simulation: A student-centered approach to bridge educational gaps

Orthopedic training, one of the most useful but under-represented specialties in undergraduate medical curricula, has some difficulties in clinical teaching.

To determine if simulation-based learning (SBL) was effective in enhancing procedural accuracy, skill confidence, and knowledge recall in final-year medical students.

This was a cross-sectional observational study performed in the Department of Orthopaedics in a tertiary care teaching hospital with simulation training facilities. The trial was conducted over 2 months (January 2025-February 2025) and was designed to determine the effect of SBL on procedural skills, knowledge retention, and self-perceived confidence in a group of final-year medical students. The inclusion criterion was undergraduate medical students in their final year who had clinical postings in orthopedics. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 106 students. The sample size was estimated to achieve a post-training 50% improvement ratio in procedural accuracy, a confidence interval of 95%, and an absolute precision of 10%. The simulation sessions included exercises with synthetic bone models, cast equipment, and procedural packs [orthopedic skills: (1) Closed fracture reduction; (2) Application of plaster; and (3) Traction]. Each session consisted of an instructor-led demonstration, practice under supervision, and immediate feedback.

In our study involving 106 final-year medical students, SBL significantly improved procedural accuracy with scores rising from 62.5% to 84.9% (P < 0.001). Knowledge retention also improved markedly with post-test scores increasing from 63.4% to 78.2% (P < 0.001). Self-reported confidence levels showed a substantial gain, increasing from 4.6 to 8.2 on a 10-point scale. Prior simulation exposure and academic performance ≥ 75% were significantly associated with higher post-training accuracy. Gender had no significant influence on outcomes.

The current study attested to the value of SBL in the enhancement of procedural skills, knowledge retention, and self-confidence of final-year medical students in orthopedics.