The future is here: Simulation in Medical Education

One of the objectives of the CEEP selective was for Roy and I to come of with a topic in the realm of medical education and prepare a presentation on it. Early on, we both agreed that we would like to learn more about the role of simulation in medical education – when and how it came to be, and what the future of simulation is. The reason for this is that we have both had simulated experiences throughout clerkship and we were intrigued to learn if there is evidence that supports the integration of simulation into the medical curriculum. A few days ago, we had the opportunity to present our findings to our CC4 colleagues. We discussed the history of medical education, types of medical simulators available, advantages and disadvantages of using simulation in medical education, research evidence supporting its use, and what the future holds. The traditional premise of medical education in North America has been “See one, do one, teach one”. In summary, we agreed that simulation is a powerful tool to bridge the gap between “see one” and “do one” but in order for simulation to realize its potential, it needs to be more thoughtfully integrated into the curriculum and faculty need to be trained and readily available to provide instruction. Furthermore, more rigorous research is needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of simulation in medical education.

-Laura