Effectiveness of a centrally designed, large-scale, multisite undergraduate medical simulation programme: student-reported confidence across eight London hospitals in a UK medical school setting.

Abstract

Simulation is well established in medical education. However, with rising numbers of medical students globally, provision of high-quality, equitable simulation teaching on a large, multisite scale is increasingly challenging. We sought to explore whether a centrally designed, multisite simulation programme could enhance student confidence equitably across multiple clinical sites with differing resources. An evaluative study on the changes in medical student confidence on defined intended learning outcomes (ILOs) in 3 undergraduate year groups across 11 simulation sessions delivered at eight different clinical sites with variable resources and facilitators. Eight hospitals affiliated with Imperial College School of Medicine. Students' self-reported confidence in achieving the ILOs via a questionnaire at the end of each session. Changes in confidence following each session were analysed and compared across sites. 522 students responded to the survey over 3 academic years. Students' mean confidence in achieving ILOs increased in all sessions. Nine out of 10 sessions showed no statistically significant difference in the confidence increases between sites. Our study suggests it is possible to deliver an equitable, centrally designed, large-scale simulation teaching programme to medical students across multiple clinical sites with different facilitator teams. The programme is sustainable, easily facilitated by new teaching fellows each year and is likely adaptable to other healthcare professions and settings.