VIRTUAL SURGICAL SIMULATION IN GRADUATE ENTRY MEDICAL EDUCATION: A NEEDS-DRIVEN FRAMEWORK talhahbinislam@gmail.com

PW07-19

VIRTUAL SURGICAL SIMULATION IN GRADUATE ENTRY MEDICAL EDUCATION: A NEEDS-DRIVEN FRAMEWORK

1

United Kingdom

Oral or Poster

Graduate Entry Medicine students face compressed preclinical time and limited theatre exposure. Early, structured simulation may accelerate acquisition of core surgical competencies and improve patient safety. Objective: to design and evaluate SIM-GEM, a scalable simulation framework for the first year of GEM that front-loads cognitive, technical, and team skills.

Planned mixed-methods study comprising: Scoping review of simulation curricula in undergraduate and early postgraduate surgery (MEDLINE/Embase, 2014–2025). Stakeholder needs assessment with students, surgeons, anaesthetists, scrub nurses, and simulation leads across two UK medical schools (semi-structured interviews, focus groups). Delphi process to prioritise competencies and minimum performance standards. Curriculum design mapping to EPAs and WHO Safe Surgery: Tier 1: cognitive briefings, instrument ID, decision making. Tier 2: bench and VR tasks (sterility, knot tying, suturing, laparoscopic camera navigation). Tier 3: team simulation for perioperative pathways and crisis resource management. Implementation blueprint with cost and faculty time modelling, and evaluation plan using pre-post OSATS, motion metrics, and theatre readiness checklists at 0, 3, and 6 months.

Anticipated outputs: competency list with performance thresholds, a 12-week modular timetable, equipment menu at 3-cost tiers, faculty guide, and an assessment battery with pass criteria and remediation triggers. Feasibility metrics will include uptake, completion, and faculty hours per student.

SIM-GEM is expected to deliver earlier, measurable competence in basic technical and non-technical skills, shorten time to safe participation in theatre, and provide a reproducible model for schools with varying resources. The framework is designed for rapid adoption and prospective multicentre evaluation.