The Efficacy of High-fidelity Simulation-based Education in Enhancing Knowledge among Undergraduate Medical Students

Background: Medical education has experienced important changes in recent times. The concern for patient's safety is one of the key reasons for the change in medical curricula. Innovative instructional methods like simulation-based medical education (SBME) has evolved to address this problem. SBME has become an essential part of education and training for health professionals in many parts of the world. There are evidences that support that high-fidelity simulation (HPS) training has enhanced clinical knowledge among medical students.

Aims: The objective of this study was to note the differences in the knowledge made by high-fidelity simulation-based medical education among undergraduate medical education.

Study Design: It was a quasi-experimental time series study with Pre-test and Post-test interventions.

Place and Duration of Study: Clinical Skills Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Manipal University College Malaysia, Melaka, between October 2015 and September 2017.

Methodology: The study involved 347 final year undergraduate medical students. The participants were divided into groups during the simulation sessions and their knowledge was assessed individually with Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and also self-reported Pre-test and Post-tests. Paired t-test was used to determine the difference of MCQ scores between pre and post simulation sessions. One-way repeated measure ANOVA was performed to determine the significant difference in knowledge assessment of self-reported Pre-test and Post-test scores. P value < .001 was taken to be of statistical significance.

Results: In the unpaired t-test, Post-test MCQ scores were higher than Pre-test scores but not statistically significant (P = .013). A one-way repeated measured ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analysis demonstrated that the total scores of the self-reported knowledge tests were significantly increased over time (P < .001).

Conclusion: There is enhancement of knowledge as perceived by the students with self-reported knowledge tests but not statistically significant as revealed by the MCQ scores.