Original ReportsEar Disease Knowledge and Otoscopy Skills Transfer to Real Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Section snippets
Background
The development of simulation-based training models has drastically changed the educational environment of modern medical schools, allowing for more hands-on and active learning.1, 2, 3 Specifically within Otolaryngology, simulation has filled important learning gaps in both the undergraduate and postgraduate medical curricula.4, 5 For ear disease, there currently exists a number of commercially available simulators, including the web-based OtoTrain, the Life/form Diagnostic and Procedural Ear
Methods
This prospective randomized controlled nonclinical trial (RCT) was approved by the Queen’s University Health Sciences and Affiliated Teaching Hospitals Research Ethics Board (#6019936) and the Queen’s University School of Medicine Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum Committee.
Results
Twenty-nine participants were initially randomized, with 10 in the OS and WM groups, and 9 in the SI group. Two students were unable to attend their specific intervention sessions and withdrew. A total of 27 undergraduate medical students participated in the study (first year—23, second year—4). Final group sizes were: OS—10, WM—9, and SI—8. All students completed their assigned intervention and both testing sessions.
Discussion
This prospective RCT was the first of its kind to assess Otolaryngology knowledge and skill transfer from 3 different ear disease teaching modalities with real patients. The transferability of knowledge and skills into real-world scenarios is the ultimate test for assessing the utility and effectiveness of any educational modality.15, 16 Especially for simulation-based training, the fundamental assumption is that the skills and knowledge acquired are directly transferable to a clinical setting.
Conclusion
The results of this study demonstrated an improvement in diagnostic accuracy of ear pathologies across all groups, when tested with real patients. The simulation group demonstrated the most improved otoscopy skills. This study confirms the clinical relevance of otoscopy simulation. The authors believe OS is a vital part of Otolaryngology undergraduate medical education.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Queen’s University Clinical Simulation Centre for their support through the Medical Student Simulation Research Grants to V.W. and J.S. This study received material support (use of OtoSim) from the Department of Otolaryngology, Queen’s University.
References (22)
- et al.
Simulation in otolaryngology: a teaching and training tool
Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp
(2017) - et al.
Training and simulation in otolaryngology
Otolaryngol Clin North Am
(2011) - et al.
Simulation training: a systematic review of simulation in arthroscopy and proposal of a new competency-based training framework
Int J Surg
(2014) - et al.
Cadaveric hands-on training for surgical specialties: is this back to the future for surgical skills development?
J Surg Educ
(2011) Surgical simulators and simulated surgeons: reconstituting medical practice and practitioners in simulations
Soc Stud Sci
(2007)Current trends and future implications in the developing role of clinical skills centres
Med Teach
(2001)- et al.
The utility of simulation in medical education: what is the evidence?
Mt Sinai J Med
(2009) - et al.
Blinded randomized controlled study of a web‐based otoscopy simulator in undergraduate medical education
Laryngoscope
(2017) - V.R. Magic. Earsi Otoscope 2017. https://www.vrmagic.com/simulators/simulators/earsi-otoscope/. Accessed...
- et al.
Development and validation of a novel ear simulator to teach pneumatic otoscopy
Simul Healthc
(2012)