Does Simulation-Based Education for Cardiac Auscultation Improve Competency and Retention Rate Compared with Traditional Education?

Cardiac auscultation is a critical part of clinical examination. Stethoscope allows for early detection of numerous important cardiac pathologies and appropriate referral for further management. Improper use of stethoscopes leads to inappropriate referral resulting in unnecessary financial stress or a delay in proper treatment of time-sensitive pathologies like VSD in children. Multiple studies have documented that competency among medical professionals in cardiac auscultation skills is in steady decline and this is due to the ineffective teaching method of cardiac auscultation starting in medical school. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of simulated education in cardiac auscultation