Development and Validation of Simulation Models for Learning Select Surgical Skills A Mixed Method Study

Abstract

Surgical education necessitates hands on training which poses ethical challenges when practicing on real patients Simulation training emerges as a pivotal solution offering a safe and effective environment for skill acquisition However existing simulation models often overlook common surgical conditions like superficial skin abscess subcutaneous swellings and hydrocele The National Medical Commission advocates for simulation based training in basic surgical skills highlighting the need for accessible and cost effective models Thus this study aimed to develop and validate the Simulation models for Select Surgical skills training using a mixed method study Following institutional ethics clearance the study employed Kerns Six step approach for curriculum development Needs assessment of simulation for medical students was done through a questionnaire survey The Indigenous simulation models for subcutaneous swellings superficial skin abscess and hydrocele were conceptualized and crafted using locally available low cost materials validated by expert opinion and implemented in a skills lab setting Using these developed simulation models a total of 267 undergraduate medical students were trained on clinical examination of subcutaneous swellings 155 surgical interns underwent training on abscess incision and drainage surgical procedure and 8 surgery post graduates underwent training on hydrocele surgical procedure Pre and post training evaluations were conducted to measure students performance and students feedback was obtained Expert validation confirmed the developed simulation models fidelity and usefulness Assessment of students performance highlighted the effectiveness of the simulation models Students feedback reflected increased confidence usefulness and fidelity of the models The development and implementation of the indigenous simulation models offer a scalable and cost effective solution for surgical training in resource limited settings The models effectiveness in enhancing medical students skills and confide