A review of technology-enhanced medical simulation

Over the past fifteen years, technology-enhanced simulation has seen increasing application in healthcare for the purpose of training healthcare professionals. Furthermore, it is projected to play critical roles in standardized assessment of clinical competencies and as clinical research tools. With limited exposure to medical simulation outside of standardized patients, medical students are often unaware of the extent to which simulation is being integrated into their future education and practice. To address this knowledge gap, this article reviews the developmental history of medical simulation and the rationales for its expansion. The various simulation models and their roles within and outside of medical education are discussed, along with evidence of their efficacy and impact on healthcare. Current drawbacks of simulation are outlined, including: high capital cost associated with building and maintaining a simulation center, limited fidelity of simulators, and lack of insights into how to best incorporate simulation into different stages of medical education. Lastly, the article profiles the University of Ottawa Skills and Simulation Centre (uOSSC), and proposes a solution to better incorporate simulation into the undergraduate medical curriculum at Ottawa.