The preparedness level of final year medical students for an adequate medical approach to emergency cases: computer-based medical education in emergency medicine

BACKGROUND: We aimed to observe the preparedness level of final year medical students in approaching emergencies by computer-based simulation training and evaluate the efficacy of the program. METHODS: A computer-based prototype simulation program (Lsim), designed by researchers from the medical education and computer science departments, was used to present virtual cases for medical learning. Fifty-four final year medical students from Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine attended an education program on June 20, 2012 and were trained with Lsim. Volunteer attendants completed a pre-test and post-test exam at the beginning and end of the course, respectively, on the same day. RESULTS: Twenty-nine of the 54 students who attended the course accepted to take the pre-test and post-test exams; 58.6% (n = 17) were female. In 10 emergency medical cases, an average of 3.9 correct medical approaches were performed in the pre-test and an average of 9.6 correct medical approaches were performed in the post-test (t = 17.18, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: This study’s results showed that the readiness level of students for an adequate medical approach to emergency cases was very low. Computer-based training could help in the adequate approach of students to various emergency cases.