The Use of Simulation in Physician Assistant Programs

Abstract

Although barriers exist to its use in training health care professionals, simulation has become an important tool for training PAs in a variety of medical and interpersonal skills. It is also clear that simulation is an important tool for conducting interprofessional training. More research is needed to identify optimal approaches to the use of simulation in health care professions training.

Sonography Simulators: Use and Opportunities in CAAHEP-Accredited Programs

“…5,12 Simulation has become a commonly used tool for educating allied health and medical professionals. 6,14,21 Factors that may prevent acquisition of sonography simulation include cost, maintenance, and the proper ratio of student to technology availability. There is also limited published evidence that simulation as a learning strategy provides a path to a more effective acquisition of technical skills that can justify an administrative purchase.…”

“…22 Student readiness for the clinical environment can be improved by using simulation activities. 6,20,21 Programs using sonography simulation have the ability to enhance the learning experience of students by creating an interactive, learner-centered environment. 10,22,23 The purpose of this study was to examine if simulation is being integrated into Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)-accredited sonography programs and to identify factors that promote or deter adoption.…”

“…21,22 Concurrent practice with didactic sessions throughout education can also be particularly useful. Simulation can be used to assess levels of competency, with a more uniform testing environment for students, 2,6 and it provides remediation for students receiving negative feedback from clinical preceptors.…”

“…5 Many clinicians and educators agree that simulation should not replace clinical experience, but simulation can still play a significant role in student readiness and deliberate practice for skill acquisition. 1,2,5,6,12,14 Those surveyed program directors who expressed interest in incorporating simulators into their curriculum had a variety of reasons for not implementing. It is often very costly to purchase and maintain equipment, and many programs lack the budget for these recurring costs.…”

“…These reported barriers to simulation are similar to the findings of a national study assessing the use of simulation in educational programs for physician's assistants. 6 It is interesting to note that insurance incentives are being provided to physician groups that participated in simulation training, with the understanding that this training improves patient safety. 20 Although most respondents of CAAHEP programs use simulation, 9% indicated they were not interested.…”