Advancing Medical Students' Non-technical Skills in a Group-Based Setting.

Aim of the study: Introduction of non-technical skill (NTS) modules in undergraduate medical curricula is essential to prevent errors that occur due to inadequate communication and malfunctioning teams. We primarily aimed to observe medical students' NTS performance improvement in a group-based setting and compare it across participants of different countries of study. Secondarily, we aimed to assess students' views on such initiatives. Material and Methods: We designed a pilot module for assessing and improving a group's NTS performance. This was based on three main pillars: simulation-based learning, constructive feedback and objective assessment. Senior medical students from EU universities were invited to apply online. Delegates were divided according to their country of study and participated in two surgical scenarios. Groups had two attempts at each scenario and feedback was given in between. Performance was assessed using a modified version of the Individual Teamwork Observation and Feedback Tool (iTOFT). Participant feedback was collected at the end of the module. Results: Eighty delegates were recruited and finished the study. A mean increase performance of 0.81 out of 3 was noted between attempts in trauma-case scenarios and 0.88 out of 3 in ward round scenarios. Overall performance improvement was similar across all groups (p > 0.05). Feedback of delegates was encouragingly positive. Conclusions: The reported improvement and positive feedback received highlight that such an intervention can be implemented in medical school curricula of all countries. Our module design, along with the use of iTOFT, should act as the basis for future development of group-based learning and assessment in undergraduate medical education.

In vivo Simulation-Based Learning for Undergraduate Medical Students: Teaching and Assessment.

An increasing emphasis on simulation has become evident in the last three decades following fundamental shifts in the medical profession. Simulation-based learning (SBL) is a wide term that encompasses several means for imitating a skill, attitude, or procedure to train personnel in a safe and adaptive environment. A classic example has been the use of live animal tissue, named in vivo SBL. We aimed to review all published evidence on in vivo SBL for undergraduate medical students; this includes both teaching concepts as well as focused assessment of students on those concepts. We performed a systematic review of published evidence on MEDLINE. We also incorporated evidence from a series of systematic reviews (eviCORE) focused on undergraduate education which have been outputs from our dedicated research network (eMERG). In vivo SBL has been shown to be valuable at undergraduate level and should be considered as a potential educational tool. Strict adherence to 3R (Reduce, Refine, Replace) principles in order to reduce animal tissue usage, should always be the basis of any curriculum. In vivo SBL could potentially grant an extra mile towards medical students' inspiration and aspiration to become safe surgeons; however, it should be optimised and supported by a well-designed curriculum which enhances learning via multi-level fidelity SBL.

Team performance training for medical students: Low vs high fidelity simulation.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate a simulation-based team performance course for medical students and compare its low- and high-fidelity components. STUDY DESIGN: This is a prospective crossover observational study. Groups participated in one low- and one high-fidelity session twice. Low-fidelity scenarios included management of an emergency case on a simulated-patient, whereas high-fidelity scenarios constituted of multiple-trauma cases where simulated-patients wore a hyper-realistic suit. Team performance was assessed objectively, using the TEAM™ tool, and subjectively using questionnaires. Questionnaires were also used to assess presence levels, stress levels and evaluate the course. RESULTS: Participants' team performance was higher in the low-fidelity intervention as assessed by the TEAM™ tool. An overall mean increase in self-assessed confidence towards non-technical skills attitudes was noted after the course, however there was no difference in self-assessed performance between the two interventions. Both reported mean stress and presence levels were higher for the high-fidelity module. Evaluation scores for all individual items of the questionnaire were ≥4.60 in both NTS modules. Students have assessed the high-fidelity module higher (4.88 out of 5, SD = 0.29) compared to low-fidelity module (4.74 out of 5, SD = 0.67). CONCLUSIONS: Both the low- and high-fidelity interventions demonstrated an improvement in team performance of the attending medical students. The high-fidelity intervention was more realistic, yet more stressful. Furthermore, it proved to be superior in harvesting leadership, teamwork and task management skills. Both modules were evaluated highly by the students, however, future research should address retention of the taught skills and adaptability of such interventions.

Student Views on a Novel Holistic Surgical Education Curriculum (iG4): A Multi-national Survey in a Changing Landscape.

AIM: Essential Skills in the Management of Surgical Cases (ESMSC Marathon Course™) Integrated Generation 4 (iG4) is the first reported multifaceted undergraduate surgical course aiming to provide holistic surgical teaching. In this prospective observational study, we explored students' views on the iG4 curriculum, and identified how it can potentially address modern challenges in surgical training. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Medical students were invited to apply to the course online and were screened against pre-defined criteria. A multi-national structured questionnaire incorporating five domains related to the course curriculum and our dedicated research network, was designed and distributed to participants after successful completion of the course. RESULTS: Forty-one students from European and Asian medical schools completed the course and filled in the survey. The median overall evaluation score of the course was 4.73 out of 5 (interquartile range=4.21-4.72) and all students found that iG4 served the vision of holistic surgical education. ESMSC had a positive motivational effect towards following a career in surgery (p=0.012) and 92.7% of students declared that it should be an essential part of a future medical school curriculum. There was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) in results between participants of different countries of study, year of studies or age group. CONCLUSION: The ESMSC Marathon Course™ is perceived as a unique course model, with an established educational value and a positive motivational effect towards surgery. It might potentially be implemented in future medical school curricula as an essential element of undergraduate surgical education. The iG4 curriculum has opened a new exciting horizon of opportunities for advancing undergraduate holistic surgical education.