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Background <p>Ensuring physician assistant (PA) students are adequately prepared and exposed to women’s health competencies is a requirement for PA programs regulated by Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA). Over the years, there has been a growing shortage of clinical rotation sites in women’s health, particularly those offering obstetrical experiences. Medical simulation is being suggested as an alternative method to supplement a student’s experience and to bridge knowledge gaps. Program faculty at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Physician Assistant Program developed, implemented, and piloted a simulated vaginal delivery experience performed on high-fidelity manikins for students in the didactic year. The labor and delivery experience enhanced clinical skills for upcoming clinical rotations through case-based learning.</p> Methods <p>During this pilot study, high-fidelity childbirth simulation manikins were utilized to offer didactic students a technologically innovative learning experience. Didactic students completed pre- and post-surveys evaluating their experience, knowledge, perspective and skill sets acquired in the labor and delivery setting. Conventional qualitative content analysis was applied to students’ optional narrative comments from the post-simulation survey.</p> Results <p>The pre and post-survey response rate was 98% and 74% respectively. Survey results demonstrated a positive student experience. Survey conceptually matched categories yielded high response regarding reinforcing clinical knowledge (93.4% pre-survey, 94.3% post-survey), hands-on/practical skills (92.3% pre-survey, 90.0% post-survey), and understanding/applying skills (93.4% pre-survey and 92.8% post-survey). Conventional qualitative content analysis revealed two prominent themes of <i>Preparation for Clinical Rotations</i> and <i>Enhancing Knowledge Beyond the Classroom.</i></p> Conclusion <p>Incorporating obstetrical simulation into the PA curriculum improves student preparation and comfort prior to real-life situations during clinical rotations. Data supports the use of problem-based obstetrical simulation as a valuable teaching alternative. Future research should evaluate the potential improvements in standardized testing scores in the field of women’s health after completing this problem-based learning simulation activity.</p>

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Incorporating obstetrical simulation into physician assistant didactic curriculum

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月29日

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  • Ashley D. Griffin,
  •  Nicole K. Daher,
  • Jolene E. Bohensky

摘要

Background

Ensuring physician assistant (PA) students are adequately prepared and exposed to women’s health competencies is a requirement for PA programs regulated by Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA). Over the years, there has been a growing shortage of clinical rotation sites in women’s health, particularly those offering obstetrical experiences. Medical simulation is being suggested as an alternative method to supplement a student’s experience and to bridge knowledge gaps. Program faculty at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Physician Assistant Program developed, implemented, and piloted a simulated vaginal delivery experience performed on high-fidelity manikins for students in the didactic year. The labor and delivery experience enhanced clinical skills for upcoming clinical rotations through case-based learning.

Methods

During this pilot study, high-fidelity childbirth simulation manikins were utilized to offer didactic students a technologically innovative learning experience. Didactic students completed pre- and post-surveys evaluating their experience, knowledge, perspective and skill sets acquired in the labor and delivery setting. Conventional qualitative content analysis was applied to students’ optional narrative comments from the post-simulation survey.

Results

The pre and post-survey response rate was 98% and 74% respectively. Survey results demonstrated a positive student experience. Survey conceptually matched categories yielded high response regarding reinforcing clinical knowledge (93.4% pre-survey, 94.3% post-survey), hands-on/practical skills (92.3% pre-survey, 90.0% post-survey), and understanding/applying skills (93.4% pre-survey and 92.8% post-survey). Conventional qualitative content analysis revealed two prominent themes of Preparation for Clinical Rotations and Enhancing Knowledge Beyond the Classroom.

Conclusion

Incorporating obstetrical simulation into the PA curriculum improves student preparation and comfort prior to real-life situations during clinical rotations. Data supports the use of problem-based obstetrical simulation as a valuable teaching alternative. Future research should evaluate the potential improvements in standardized testing scores in the field of women’s health after completing this problem-based learning simulation activity.