The Simlympics: A Novel Gamified Simulation Competition for Emergency Medicine Residents

Introduction: Medical education escape rooms (ERs) are experiential, game-based simulations (sim) that have grown in popularity over the last decade.While ERs are fun and motivating for learners, they challenge sim designers to step out of their comfort zones to deliver quality experiences.Emergency Medicine (EM) ER design must include an engaging storyline and automated-feedback puzzles (e.g., incorrect solutions prevent forward progress), while testing critical EM concepts.We sought to develop an in-person ER that requires teams to apply key EM milestones to solve a mystery and escape in under 40 minutes.Educational Objectives: -Challenge learner clinical reasoning and procedural skills within the EM scope of practice -Recreate the excitement of a commercial ER -Integrate wellness activities into core curricular learning.Curricular Design: EM residents and sim directors designed an ER as an engaging, multimodal teaching experience.Station skills were derived from ACGME requirements including toxin identification, pathologic image recognition, cardioversion, ultrasound, CPR, management of shock states, suture tying, incision and drainage, and airway management.The ER consisted of modular stations that targeted desired skill retention.Participants were surveyed regarding their comfort with each task and their perceived value of an ER as an educational tool.This exercise achieved results consistent with Level 2 of the Kirkpatrick model of evaluation.Impact/Effectiveness: Learners performed integration of key practical skills and medical decision making in order to complete trials under time constraints.100% (16/16) of learners successfully escaped the room and agreed or strongly agreed that this exercise was a good use of their educational time.Almost all expressed strong interest in future ER learning.We intend to expand and encompass additional skills noted in ACGME requirements while having fun and tackling burnout.