High-fi delity simulation increases obstetric self-assurance and skills in undergraduate medical students*

Objective: Teaching intrapartum care is one of the most challenging tasks in undergraduate medical education. High-fi delity obstetric simulators might support students ’ learning experience. The specifi c educational impact of these simu-lators compared with traditional methods of model-based obstetric teaching has not yet been determined. Study design: We randomly assigned 46 undergraduate medi-cal students to be taught using either a high-fi delity simulator or a scale wood-and-leather phantom. Their self-assessments were evaluated using a validated questionnaire. We assessed obstetric skills and asked students to solve obstetric paper cases. Main outcome measures: Assessment of fi delity-specifi c teaching impact on procedural knowledge, motivation, and interest in obstetrics as well as obstetric skills using high- and low-fi delity training models. Results: High-fi delity simulation specifi cally improved stu-dents ’ feeling that they understood both the physiology of parturition and the obstetric procedures. Students in the simu-lation group also felt better prepared for obstetric house jobs and performed better in obstetric skills evaluations. However, the two groups made equivalent obstetric decisions. Conclusion: This study provides fi rst data on the impact of high-fi delity simulation in an undergraduate setting