Low- versus high-fidelity simulations in teaching and assessing clinical skills

Abstract

Simulation has been widely used in the education of healthcare workers. In simulation training, there is an approximation to reality in which trainees are supposed to react to problems or conditions as they would under genuine circumstances. The educational value of simulations has been determined to be valuable. Simulation has a significant impact on health care education across the disciplines and in both undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Recent development in technologies permits the reproduction of real-life scenarios with acceptable fidelity, thus profoundly enhancing the learning environment. However, the educational outcomes of high- versus low-fidelity simulations remain controversial. This article aims to review the effectiveness of low- and high-fidelity simulations in teaching and assessing clinical skills.