Experiences of Medical Students and Evaluators on Utilizing Simulators in Objective Structured Clinical Exam: A...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Clinical Skills Assessment

Background:

• Simulation is increasingly used in health education but its role in competency assessment is underrecognized.
• Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are crucial for assessing clinical competency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine medical students' and evaluators' experiences and perceptions of using simulators in OSCEs for clinical competency assessment.
• To identify facilitators and barriers to simulation-based assessment in medical education.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative conventional content analysis of data from 43 medical students and 2 evaluators.
• Data collected via focus group interviews, semistructured individual interviews, and field notes.
• Data analysis followed the Graneheim and Lundman method until saturation.

Main Results:

• Identified six categories: change management, the simulator's facilitative role, the evaluator's role, integration challenges, virtual patient simulator (VPS) utilization issues, and progress toward enhancement.
• Key themes included resistance to change, stress, adaptation, overcoming real-world limitations, evaluator feedback, integration gaps, and technical/fidelity challenges with VPS.
• Participants noted progress but highlighted the need for mastery learning, sufficient time, holistic approaches, and improved infrastructure.

Conclusions:

• Simulation in OSCEs is a suitable method for clinical competency assessment.
• Drawbacks in implementation and training necessitate focused attention.
• Simulation-based assessment should be more widely integrated into medical education curricula.