The role of simulation-based learning in teaching surgical disciplines, obstetrics and gynaecology

Abstract

The article examines the role of simulation-based learning in teaching surgical disciplines, obstetrics and gynaecology in higher medical education institutions. The relevance of the study stems from the growing demands on the quality of medical care, the need to ensure patient safety, the limitations of the traditional bedside model of practical training, as well as the challenges of wartime, which require the accelerated training of specialists ready to work in emergency conditions.

Aim. To substantiate the theoretical foundations and didactic possibilities of simulation-based learning in teaching surgical disciplines, obstetrics and gynaecology, and to develop a model of its gradual integration into the educational process.

Methods. The study employs a set of theoretical methods: analysis and synthesis of scholarly, psycho-pedagogical and medical literature on simulation-based learning; comparison of domestic and foreign experience in using simulation technologies; systematisation and generalisation of data on types of simulators and clinical scenarios; modelling of the structure of integrating simulation classes into the educational process; a systems approach to simulation-based learning as a holistic pedagogical category.

Results. The content of the notion “simulation-based learning” is examined within the context of modern medical education. The types of simulation technologies (low-, medium- and high-fidelity simulators, virtual VR/AR trainers, standardised patients, team simulations) and the areas of their application in teaching surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology are systematised. The didactic advantages of the method are characterised: the formation of manual skills, clinical thinking, and teamwork skills. The importance of simulation scenarios for practising obstetric emergencies (postpartum haemorrhage, shoulder dystocia, eclampsia) is substantiated. A three-level model of integrating simulation-based learning (basic, integrative, team levels) is proposed. The role of debriefing as a key component of a simulation session is described.

Conclusions. Simulation-based learning is a leading pedagogical technology of modern medical education that ensures the safe formation of professional competencies. Its implementation requires the systematic introduction of all types of simulators according to the stage of training, mandatory debriefing, and the training of instructor-teachers. Further research prospects include the development of methodological support for simulation classes, criteria for assessing the formed competencies, and the integration of artificial intelligence technologies into simulation-based education.