Simulation in Medical School Education: Review for Emergency Medicine

• Main Authors: Shahram Lotfipour, T. Kent Denmark, Christopher Erik McCoy, Srinidhi Subraya Bhat, Elizabeth ter Haar, Bharath Chakravarthy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: eScholarship Publishing, University of California 2011-05-01
• Series: Western Journal of Emergency Medicine
• Subjects: simulation; medical education; emergency medicine
• Online Access: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/1523c9nt

<p>Medical education is rapidly evolving. With the paradigm shift to small-group didactic sessions and focus on clinically oriented case-based scenarios, simulation training has provided educators a novel way to deliver medical education in the 21st century. The field continues to expand in scope and practice and is being incorporated into medical school clerkship education, and specifically in emergency medicine (EM). The use of medical simulation in graduate medical education is well documented. Our aim in this article is to perform a retrospective review of the current literature, studying simulation use in EM medical student clerkships. Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of simulation in teaching basic science, clinical knowledge, procedural skills, teamwork, and communication skills. As simulation becomes increasingly prevalent in medical school curricula, more studies are needed to assess whether simulation training improves patient-related outcomes.</p>