Who hates simlab?

[monkeybutt]

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I feel like every time I do simulations whether with real people or with dummies, whether med school or residency, I get criticized for a bunch of **** no matter how well (or poorly) I do. Part of it is I know that I'm being videotaped and will be forced to watch myself with an evaluator later. I get such better feedback when I'm dealing with real problems and real patients that I do with simulation, so much so that I don't think I end up learning anything at all.

To me, it has very little value. Anyone want to argue? Or give me better coping mechanisms?

 

[Apollyon]

I think a a lot is in the scenario (i.e., if the scenario is poor - poorly written or presented - your performance will likely suffer).

We did sim lab once when I was a resident - the attending running it was one of those people in academics because she thought she was good at it (evidence to the contrary). Likewise with the sim lab, her scenarios were weak and inconsistent, and unrealistic (as in, "why bother?"). However, she thought she was the "end-all/be-all".

Sim lab sucked.

 

[WilcoWorld]

I think that the sim lab can be a great way to encounter difficult or rare but critical disease presentations. However, the cases need to presented in a soluble manner without a bunch of 'gotcha' sort of tricks. It also needs to be a safe environment where the learner is stressed, but not living in constant fear. The sim experience I had in residency was great, and it inspired me to become very interested in simulation as an attending.

Personally, I only critique the small stuff if I have forewarned the residents that we will be focusing on that stuff specifically. Usually I focus on major things like making the diagnosis and administering the critical therapy. I also feel that Sim Lab experience should be used to build confidence, rather than break it down. As a result I will use prompts as hints rather than just having someone fail a case.

If you're having a terrible experience with the Sim Lab you should talk to your PD about it or mention it in your anonymous reviews. Just be sure to be specific about what it is that you don't like, and what things you'd like to see more of. If your simulation director knows how much the residents hate sim lab, I expect (and hope) that he or she would want to improve it.

 

[deleted109597]

As it is, simlab is a good place to learn the basics. It's really good for procedures, but bad for the whole body approach (unless you've got really super expensive sims). Even then, it has to be well written to work.
I try to view sim lab as mock oral boards. You've got to get good at the imaginary patients because that's part of what lets you practice in the end.

 

[Venko]

As most are saying, I think the format and culture in which sim is taught has a lot to do with it. In my residency, Sim was awesome! We were in small groups and everyone went through the simulator every month and it was a tremendous ( I mean tremendous) learning experience! It was also a lot of fun!

It really sucks that you are feeling beaten down by simulation; it may be worth mentioning this as a group to the sim directors if this is a uniform opinion throughout your residency.