Implementing a unique immersive near-peer-led clinical skills educational bootcamp for early-year clinical medical students

Abstract

We establish the development of a unique immersive clinical skills bootcamp for third-year medical students, with formal teaching under five key themes: procedural skills day, examinations, imaging, data interpretation and prescribing. Lastly a simulation event was developed to allow the participants to bring the different themes together, in order to successfully manage an acutely unwell patient for their stage of learning using the newly learnt skills. A 4-week bootcamp was developed and delivered to students. A curriculum was developed based on student’s precourse answers to specific questions. Pre and post bootcamp questionnaires were used to assess participants confidence and knowledge using a 5-point Likert scale. A combination of objective structured examination, didactic lectures and group-based discussions were utilised. Tutors’ teaching performance was also analysed. A focus group was held post bootcamp. Bootcamp was delivered to 15 students. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Students were more confident in all of the five key domains post bootcamp. All students feel more equipped to take opportunities that arise on medical wards as a result of the skills learnt. Participants were receptive to the combination of teaching methods used. All students would recommend this course to their peers. Early-year clinical students successfully received an immersive goal-directed course with formal teaching. The near-peer teaching model improved participants educational experience. We were able to successfully demonstrate that near-peer teaching is effective when it is goal directed, and further when it addresses areas of medical education whereby there is a disparity in the formal teaching available.

Immersive Virtual Reality Teaching in Colleges and Universities Based on Vision Sensors

“…In virtual reality scenes, synchronized stereo surround sound effects and visual images can further enhance the overall experience of the virtual scene for users. In the system, not only is it necessary to provide simulated sound effects that simulate various real environments, but more importantly, it is necessary for users to feel that they are in the three-dimensional space of the virtual environment and can judge the location of the sound source with both ears [18,19]. For example, when an airplane flies overhead, it feels changes in the sound of approaching from the front, passing over the head, and moving away from the back.…”

Child Health Essential Skills Stations (CHESS): Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of an Undergraduate Child Health Clinical Skills Course

“…These aspects of the CHESS course may further enhance opportunities for immediate, individual feedback. Another undergraduate clinical skill course similarly showed that students particularly valued group learning, clinically-based scenarios, and specific feedback (26). For other educators planning simulated skills training, these techniques for allowing feedback are assets to a course.…”

“…They suggest using a logbook, along with an increased curriculum focus on providing students with opportunities to perform skills (28). Meanwhile, another group teaching their course across 4 weeks encouraged students to practice taught skills on patients in between the sessions, likening this to a "spiral learning" model wherein concepts are revisited in increasing detail (26). With undergraduates increasingly under-exposed and under-confident in practical skills, simulated practice can act as a springboard to encourage students to seek and attempt procedures on patients (29).…”