A training game for family physician students: educational project report

Background Medical schools have a growing interest in making pedagogical shifts in their curricula, using new learning tools, such as skills labs, small-group sessions, etc. On a different note, some students feel that they are not fully prepared for real life practice at the end of their studies. Simulation-based medical education (SBME) could form a pedagogical approach for this problem.[1] Aim A SBME training game based on the Groningen Institute Model for Management in Care Services (GIMMICS) [2] was introduced in the curriculum at the Department of Family Medicine at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in 2010. The aim of the game is to prepare medical students for their complex tasks as family physicians, based on the CanMEDS framework[3], by addressing and integrating each and all of the seven roles. Methods GIMMICS is a training game that simulates real life situations, in a structured and supervised setting, offering students the possibility to practice clinical, practical and communicational skills. At the premises of the university, students specialising in Family Medicine install and manage their own group practices. They hold consultations with simulated patients, participate in several assignments and collaborate with pharmacy students. A specific assessment model for the students was developed. Results Feedback sessions showed that the training game is well-received by students and considered as very useful but intensive by staff members. A self-assessment questionnaire filled out by the students, comprised of 23 questions on major aspects of the seven CanMEDS roles, showed significantly higher scores at the end of the game for 21 questions (p<0.05, Wilcoxon signed rank test). Conclusion GIMMICS can be a valuable linking pin between the different learning methods in medical education and clinical practice, helping students to improve themselves in the CanMEDS roles. However, simulation-based medical education requires a significant time and resource investment. References [1] Okuda Y, Bryson EO, DeMaria S Jr, et al. The utility of simulation in medical education: what is the evidence? Mt Sinai J Med. 2009;76:330-43. [2] GIMMICS: Groningen Institute Model for Management in Care Services. http://www.gimmics.nl/info/gimmics_generalinfo.html. Accessed February 4, 2018. [3] Frank JR, Danoff D. The CanMEDS initiative: implementing an outcomes-based framework of physician competencies. Med Teach. 2007;29:642-47.