Use of hybrid simulation programs: A student perspective

To the Editor,

As fourth‐year medical students who have first‐hand experience of the educational implications of the COVID pandemic, we read the article by Austin et al.¹ with interest and would like to provide a student perspective. We feel that the article highlights the advantages of hybrid simulation and how it both enables individuals to practice a range of skills and prepares them for the technological advancements of current health care systems (e.g., the increasing use of e‐consultations).

As part of our emergency medicine teaching at Kings College London (KCL), we participated in different types of simulation sessions, one of which mirrored the study by Austin et al. where a pair of students practiced resuscitation in a high‐fidelity center. This was live‐broadcasted to a group of 10 medical students who acted as observers and provided feedback. From personal experience, contrary to the findings of Austin et al., we felt that that it was difficult to engage with the broadcasting due to the fast‐paced nature of resuscitation, resulting in observers missing out on key learning points. Moreover, the absence of staff members in the center due to space limitations resulted in a lack of multidisciplinary team training.

To overcome this, we feel that other avenues of simulation training should be explored. For example, at KCL, students had the opportunity to use the Oxford Medical Simulation (OMS) program. OMS uses virtual reality (VR), allowing students to manage acutely unwell patients in a time‐based session while interacting with their multidisciplinary team. Although its efficacy can only be measured through anecdotal evidence, much literature has supported the use of VR in medical training.²

The General Medical Council³ states that newly qualified doctors are expected to recognize complexity and uncertainty when completing clinical assessments. However, due to the recent pressures across NHS services, medical students feel less confident being part of the medical team.⁴ We believe that the development of appropriate online VR resources can address this issue and will subsequently develop the preparedness to practice among our fellow trainees. We recommend that such programs should be upscaled and trialed across medical schools in the United Kingdom to gain further insight into its impact on both student and patient outcomes. This could potentially be measured through a culmination of qualitative analyses alongside using more objective measures such as the effect of VR on academic performance.