Improved clinical communication OSCE scores after simulation-based training: Results of a comparative study

Simulation-based training (SBT) is increasingly used to teach clinical patient-doctor communication skills (CS) to medical students. However, the long-lasting impact of this training has been poorly studied. In this observational study we included all fourth-year undergraduate medical students from a French medical school who undertook a CS objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and who answered a post-examination survey. OSCE scores and students' feedback were compared by whether students had received a specific CS-SBT or not 12 months prior to the OSCE. A total of 173 students were included in the study. Of them, 97 (56%) had followed the CS-SBT before the OSCE. Students who had undergone CS-SBT had significantly higher CS-OSCE scores in the multivariate analysis compared to untrained students (mean score 7.5/10 ±1.1 vs. 7.0/10 ±1.6, respectively, Cohen's d = 0.4, p