Simulation-Based Teaching to Improve Cardiovascular Exam Skills Performance Among Third-Year Medical Students

BACKGROUND: Evidence supports the need for improvement in cardiac physical examination skills training. PURPOSE: This study evaluates whether the addition of simulation offers added benefit over training utilizing standardized patients only. METHODS: All 124 third-year students who completed the required clerkship in one academic year received cardiac examination skills training utilizing a standardized patient and a cardiac simulator. The control group, comprising 281 students from 2 previous academic years, received training utilizing a standardized patient only. All students' physical exam skills were assessed in an objective structured clinical examination. RESULTS: Students trained with cardiac simulation performed significantly better than the control group in all 5 cardiac skills. The number of students who correctly performed all 5 cardiac exam skills increased significantly (p=.004). Pulmonary exam skills were unchanged. CONCLUSION: The use of simulation in addition to standardized patient teaching can improve students' performance of cardiac examination skills.