We finished our third and last day of HITS 2022! Woo hoo! Tonight I watched the Lilly Conference session entitled “From the Ground Up: Creating a Culture of Simulated Patient Experiences” with Pamela Pologruto and Jennifer Jewell from Penn State. I watched a session by Pologruto yesterday. Pologruto spoke about being a Physical Therapist and wanting to increase the diversity of experiences students encounter in their courses. They mentioned Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory with stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. This was the conceptual framework they used for simulations. Learners reflect after the simulation usually through a debriefing activity led by the person who facilitated the simulation. After abstract conceptualization, the learner applies the knowledge created through active experimentation. Pologruto explained that they had five reasons for using simulations: application of skills, a safe learning environment, professional and interpersonal communication, practice in urgent/difficult situations, and preparation for complex environments. I did not know standardized patients are trained to simulate actual patients and therefore allow for standardization. Jewell shared videos of role-playing and highlighted how role-playing did vary by student/simulation scenario. Next, with the patient simulator portrayed by the same student, there is more consistency and realism. Student testimonials expressed how the simulator helped them prepare better. The fidelity of the simulation was discussed and the funding required. Jewell discussed how standardization may not be necessary in all cases, and that it depends on the learning goals and resources available. While I don’t think I will be using patient simulators anytime in the near future, the analysis of when and how realistic a learning experience needs to be was useful.
