Simulation-based geriatric medicine;�teaching for medical undergraduates: an effective learning method and a positive influence on students' views of the specialty.
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Authors
Fisher, James
Walker, Richard
Issue Date
2014
Type
Article
Language
en
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Abstract
Background: Despite simulation-based teaching being increasingly used in medical education, a recent survey of geriatric medicine teaching in UK medical schools found no evidence of its use [Blundell, EGM, 2011; 2(1): p12–14]. Published evidence evaluating the efficacy of simulation-based teaching in undergraduate geriatric medicine is lacking.
Innovation: A novel simulation day was developed and ran serially at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. 74 third year Newcastle University MBBS students attended the session during their Chronic Illness, Disability and Rehabilitation (CIDR) module. Topics addressed included elder abuse, delirium and falls. Simulation involved high-fidelity simulation mannequins, professional actors, simulated medical documentation and interactive props (e.g. patient's hearing aid and spectacles in the delirium station).
Evaluation: Students' knowledge was assessed using a written test that was mapped to CIDR learning outcomes. Each student sat the test on three occasions; before, immediately after and one month after the session (penultimate week of module). Another group of CIDR students, at a different base unit, also sat the same test in the penultimate week of the module. The control group had received traditional teaching on the same learning outcomes but had not received any simulation-based teaching. Student feedback on the simulation session was obtained via questionnaires.
Student knowledge in all topic areas improved significantly after the simulation session (p < 0.001; paired t-test) and this was maintained when reassessed a month later (p < 0.001; paired t-test). Students who received the simulation-based teaching outperformed those who received usual teaching in all topic areas (p = 0.002; independent t-test). Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive; 68 of the 71 respondents (95.8%) agreed that the session had a positive impact on their views on geriatric medicine.
Conclusions: Simulation-based teaching can be an effective educational intervention for medical undergraduates and can positively influence students' views on the specialty
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Citation
Fisher, J. and Walker, R. (2014) Simulation-based geriatric medicine;�teaching for medical undergraduates: an effective learning method and a positive influence on students' views of the specialty. Age and Ageing; 43 (Suppl_2) : ii1.
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Journal
Age and Ageing
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
ISSN
1468-2834