Simulation Based Learning and Academic Performance in Medical School

Medical Simulation Teaching and Academic Performance Among Medical Students at a Medical School in Rural Uganda

The investigators will use a multi-methods approach, including both qualitative and quantitative methods. In the quantitative methodology, the investigators will use a before and after approach to compare medical student grades/scores before and after the integration of Simulation based learning (SBL) in the curriculum. The hypothesis is that SBL will generally increase knowledge and skills and hence improve the scores from the theory (MCQ) and clinical (OSCE) examinations conducted outside simulated settings in the clinical departments.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Academic Performance
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Simulation based learning

Detailed Description

Simulation faculty development will be measured by retention and engagement in simulation sessions. The investigators will use survival analysis methods and plot Kaplan Meier curves to calculate probability of retention and determine the factors that are associated with retention as derived from participant in-depth interviews and departmental meetings. A faculty member will be considered disengaged if they do not participate in simulation session for at least 6 months post training, despite reminders and opportunities for participation. Reasons for potential disengagement will be explored qualitatively.

In the qualitative approach, the investigators will conduct in-depth key informant interviews (45 minutes to 1 hour) with administrators at the institution, namely Academic Registrar, Deans of Medical School, heads of Departments and Simulation facilitators (the post-graduate student trainers). The investigators will conduct focus group discussions (1 hour) with postgraduate simulation facilitators, the medical and nursing students before, during and after their enrollment in SBL. The interviews and focus group discussions will be audio-recorded and transcribed.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 400
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Data Santorino, MD; Phone Number: 0774500571; Email: sdata@must.ac.ug
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Francis Bajunirwe, MD, PhD; Phone Number: 0772 576 396; Email: fbaj@must.ac.ug

Study Locations

• Uganda
  • Mbarara, Uganda, 256
    • Recruiting
    • Mbarara University of Science and Technology
    • Contact: Data Santorino, MD; Phone Number: 0774500571; Email: sdata@must.ac.ug

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Medical (Medicine and Nursing) students
• Enrolled in the Faculty of medicine at Mbarara University of Science and Technology
• Currently attending clinical years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non clinical student years in the Faculty of Medicine
• not enrolled in Medicine or Nursing programs at Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Before/After; Grade performance before and after introduction of simulation based learning	Other: Simulation based learning; Learning for medical students using simulation based techniques including scenario execution as a complement to conventional teaching methodologies

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Academic performance	Change in CGPA scores Before and after introduction of simulation based techniques	36 months after introduction of simulation based techniques

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Retention of academic faculty	Percentage of faculty retained in the training program	2 years after initiation of simulation based learning

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Mbarara University of Science and Technology
• Collaborators: University of Calgary; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute; The ELMA Foundation; Laerdal Foundation

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 1, 2019
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): December 30, 2021
• Study Completion (Anticipated): December 30, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 17, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 25, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): April 29, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 29, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 25, 2021
• Last Verified: April 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 2020/MUST/SIM-II

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Data will share with permission from the research ethics committee and Mbarara University Academic Registrar's authorization
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No