International Journal of Healthcare Simulation

Background:

The Curriculum for Internal Medicine Training [IMT] outlines that simulation should be used as a teaching tool during the three years of training to consolidate clinical knowledge and incorporate the importance of human factors in the clinical workplace [1]. Although simulation is used as the mainstay of teaching procedural skills for IMT trainees, we identified that there was no immersive simulation beyond this offered to these trainees at our Trust. This inspired us to design an immersive one-day simulation course, which we called MEDICS [Managing Emergency Decisions and Interventions in Critical Situations]. This course, aimed at IMT year 2 and 3 trainees, gives them the opportunity to lead in common medical emergencies, practise task prioritisation, and prepare for the role of medical registrar, with human factors integrated into these immersive scenarios.

Methods:

We used the IMT curriculum and our discussions with IMT trainees to design seven scenarios with emergencies from each core speciality, which were highlighted as areas where IMT trainees felt less confident. Following each scenario, we held a 30-minute debriefing to highlight key clinical learning points and discuss the impact of human factors in the delivery of care.

Results:

Post-course feedback for both pilot courses were overwhelmingly positive, with all candidates feeling that the course improved their confidence in dealing with these medical emergencies and enhanced their preparation for the role of medical registrar.

Conclusion:

Immersive simulation is an effective means of giving IMT trainees the opportunity to practise leadership, delegation, and task prioritisation to improve their preparation for the step up to medical registrar.

Reference

1. Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board, Curriculum for Internal Medicine Training Stage 1 Training, Federation of Royal College of Physicians 2019. https://www.jrcptb.org.uk/sites/default/files/IM_Curriculum_Sept2519.pdf [Accessed on 24/06/2022]