Comparison of High-Fidelity Medical Simulation to Short-Answer Written Examination in the Assessment of Emergency Medicine Residents in Medical Toxicology.

Abstract

We compared high-fidelity medical simulation to short-answer written examination in the assessment of emergency medicine residents (EMR) on a month-long medical toxicology rotation. Knowledge-based assessment tools using cases of an aspirin overdose and a tricyclic antidepressant overdose were used to assess all consecutive rotating EMR (n=53). Assessment by simulation had similar accuracy and precision but higher satisfaction rates when compared to written examination. Incorporating simulation into the ABEM certifying examination warrants further study.