What Happened to Simulation-Based Education in Outpatient Setting in The 21st Century: A Scoping Review

Simulation-based education (SBE) is an instructional approach that aims to accurately recreate real-life scenarios and engage learners in the practical application of lesson content. By replicating critical elements of clinical situations, SBE facilitates a deeper understanding and better preparation for managing such conditions in actual clinical practice. SBE offers promising prospects for improving medical education and patient care in various settings,such as outpatient clinics. Therefore, this scoping review aims to determine to what extent the most effective components and standards of the simulation have been considered in outpatient education.

The present scoping review adheres to the guidelines outlined in the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMAScR) checklist” and the “Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Reviewers’ Manual”. This review focused on articles that specifically focused on the use of simulation in outpatient education. Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and ERIC were searched for keywords related to simulation, ambulatory care, outpatient clinics, and medical education from January 1, 2001, to August 12, 2023.

The search indicated 513 articles, which were narrowed down by title and abstract relatedness. Twenty-nine articles entered the study’s second phase, and after reviewing their full text, nine articles that explicitly reported simulation use in outpatient education remained. Based on the findings of eligible articles, the ten most frequent components of SBE that should be considered and followed discussed. These features were training facilitators, pre-briefing sessions, the type of simulation techniques, the site of simulation participation, the simulation duration, unit of participation, extent of direct participation, Simulation fidelity, feedback, and debriefing and reflection.

SBE is a contemporary method of practical training for medical students that involves realistic modeling or simulation of clinical situations. It enhances learning effectiveness andprovides a safe, educational atmosphere for teaching and learning. Designing simulations adhering to established standards and carefully considering essential components improves efficiencyand effectiveness.