1114: TeleSim: A Novel Approach to Medical Education in a Pandemic

INTRODUCTION: Simulation based medical education (SBME) promotes acquisition of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills in a controlled environment SBME allows experiential learning without fear of harm to patients Usually SBME is interactive with participants and facilitators at close quarters in order to promote immersive learning and the development of critical thinking skills The COVID-19 pandemic and the requirement for social distancing calls for a novel approach to SBME This abstract describes the use of a portable simulator, REALITi 360 (iSimulate,Inc Albany,NY), as a tool for creating a virtual learning experience for pediatric PGYIIs via zoom video conferencing before the beginning of their PICU elective METHODS: After a needs assessment, case scenarios were developed to bridge knowledge gaps The educational objectives include recognition and treatment of critical illness at course completion Target audience were pediatric PGYIIs Course contents and curriculum were based on ACGME competencies in pediatric critical care REALITi 360 (iSimulate Inc,Albany,NY), a portable simulator was used to generate vital signs (VS) and import ancillary data from stored media Fidelity is enhanced as VS changes occur in tandem with results of ancillary test on request 14 PGYIIs engaged @70 learner hours/day (14χ5hrs of sim/day) for 2 days of distributed simulation After pre-test, residents were given history and physical exam findings of each case in order to develop a working hypothesis Debriefing & integrated discussions follow each case scenario Course evaluation was done using a 6 point Likert scale RESULTS: All participants rated the course valuable at 5-6 on Likert Scale (LS) Clinical decision making skills were rated 2-3 on LS pre- course and 4-5 on LS post-course All participants stated that their expectations were met Participants expressed disappointment about inability to interact with team members and not being able to practice resuscitative skills CONCLUSIONS: Virtual simulation improves clinical decision making among participants However, it does not help with psychomotor skills, team dynamics and engagement Concurrent use of serious game technology with haptic feedback might enhance the use of virtual simulation for psychomotor skills training