Use of Video During Debriefing In Medical Simulation

The most important component of simulation-based learning is debriefing; this is the opportunity participants have to reflect on events that have happened and to modify their behavior as a result. Trained facilitators generally guide participants through this reflective process and seek to identify and close knowledge gaps through discussion. The debriefing may occur at the end of the simulation (post-event debriefing) or periodic stopping points during a simulation (micro-debriefing). While some studies have looked at peer-debriefing and self-debriefing, most debriefing is conducted by a trained faculty member. These facilitators may debrief verbally or with the assistance of a video review. Video-Assisted Debriefing (VAD) can help to structure debriefing following simulation. There are pros and cons to using video during debriefing, as described here.