The Effectiveness of a Simulation-Based Menopause Education Program

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Gynecology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Menopause education is frequently overlooked in residency training programs.
• A significant gap exists between residents' perceived importance of menopause management training and their preparedness.
• Standardized patient encounters offer a potential solution to enhance resident education in this area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a simulation-based educational intervention on resident knowledge and confidence in menopause management.
• To address the deficit in menopause care training within OB/GYN, family medicine, and internal medicine residency curricula.

Main Methods:

• A 2-3 hour educational session combining didactic teaching and standardized patient encounters was implemented.
• Participants included OB/GYN, family medicine, and internal medicine residents.
• Pre- and post-intervention knowledge and confidence scores were compared using paired t-tests.

Main Results:

• Knowledge scores improved by a mean of 1.5 points (P < .0001), with no significant differences across specialties.
• Confidence levels in menopause management significantly increased for all resident groups.
• The intervention demonstrated a positive impact on both knowledge acquisition and self-efficacy.

Conclusions:

• Simulation-based education effectively enhances resident knowledge and confidence in managing menopause.
• Interdisciplinary teaching through simulation is a valuable strategy for improving resident education in underrepresented clinical areas.
• This approach can help bridge the gap in preparedness for essential women's health topics.