Web-Conferenced Simulation Sessions: A Satisfaction Survey of Clinical Simulation Encounters via Remote Supervision

Purpose: A critical barrier to expanding simulation-based instruction in medicine is the availability of clinical instructors. Allowing instructors to remotely observe and debrief simulation sessions may make simulation-based instruction more convenient, thus expanding the pool of instructors available. This study compared the impact of simulation sessions facilitated by in-person (IP) faculty versus those supervised remotely using Web-conferencing software (WebEx ® , Cisco [ www.webex.com/ ]). Subjects and Methods: A convenience sample of preclinical medical students volunteered to “care for” patients in a simulation laboratory. Students received either standard IP or Web-conferenced (WC) instruction. WC sessions were facilitated by off-site instructors. A satisfaction survey (5-point Likert scale, where 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree) was completed immediately following the sessions. Results: Forty-four surveys were analyzed (WC n =25, IP n =19). In response to the question “Was the communication between faculty and students a barrier to understanding the case?,” the average student responses were 2.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4–3.2) for WC and 4.5 (95% CI 4.0–5.0) for IP ( p