Student perception of high fidelity medical simulation for an international trauma life support course

Background: High fidelity medical simulators (HFMS) are accepted tools for health care instruction. The use of HFMS was incorporated into an International Trauma Life Support course, and course participants were surveyed regarding attitudes toward HFMS. Methods: Course participants, including physicians, nurses, and prehospital personnel, were given pre-and post-course questionnaires measuring their confidence in knowledge and treatment of trauma resuscitation, as well as their attitudes towards the utility and realism of immersive simulation. The participants were randomly assigned to take a course examination either before or after their simulator session. Results: Thirteen course participants of varying backgrounds and degrees of clinical experience were surveyed and tested. All surveyed areas improved following simulator training, including comfort level with simulation as a training method (17%), perception of the realism of HFMS (15%), and reported self-confidence in knowledge, experience and training in trauma care (27%). Test scores were improved in the post-simulation group as opposed to the pre-simulation group (86% pass rate in the post-simulation test group versus 50% pass rate in the pre-simulation test group). Conclusions: High fidelity medical simulation was accepted by medical professionals of different backgrounds and experience. Attitudes towards simulation and self-confidence improved after simulator sessions, as did test scores, suggesting improved comprehension and retention of course materials. Further testing is required to validate the findings of this small, observational study.