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Full scale computer simulators in anesthesia training and evaluation

[Des simulateurs informatisés grandeur nature pour la formation et l’évaluation en anesthésie]

From the Department of Anaesthesia, McMaster University, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Address correspondence to: Dr. Anne K. Wong, Department of Anaesthesia, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, 50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 4A6, Canada. Phone: 905-522-4941, ext. 3853; Fax: 905-521-6019; E-mail: wongan{at}mcmaster.ca

Purpose: With the advent of competency-based curriculum, technology such as full scale computer simulators have acquired an increasingly important role in anesthesia both in training and evaluation. This article reviews the current role of full scale computer simulators in teaching and evaluation in anesthesia.

Source: This review draws from existing anesthesia and medical education literature in order to examine and assess the current role of full scale computer simulators in anesthesia education today.

Principal findings: The last decade has witnessed a major increase in the use of full scale computer simulators in anesthesia. Many applications have been found for these simulators including teaching and training, evaluation and research.

Despite the increasing use and application of full scale computers in anesthesia in the area of teaching and training, definitive studies evaluating its cost effectiveness, its efficacy compared to traditional training methods or its impact on patient outcome are still pending. Although there is some preliminary evidence of reliability and validity in using the simulator to evaluate clinical competence, development in this area has not progressed enough to justify its use in formal, summative evaluation of competence in anesthesia at this time.

Conclusions: As technology acquires an increasingly important role in medical education, full scale computer simulators represent an exciting potential in anesthesia. However, the full potential and role of simulators in anesthesia is still in development and will require a dovetailing of clinical theory and practice with current research in medical education.

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