Simulation is widely used in airway management training.
To show that assigning anesthesia residents’ simulation educator roles improved cognitive learning outcomes.
Postgraduate second- and third-year (PGY-2 and PGY-3) anesthesia residents were randomly assigned to three groups: a teacher group (T), a hot-seat (active participant) group (H), and an observer group (O). After a train-the-trainer session, the T group prepared simulation scenarios for difficult airway management and then conducted the simulation sessions and post-session debriefing. The H group participated in the scenarios, and the O group observed the sessions. All participants attended the post-session debriefing. Evaluation was conducted at pretest, immediate posttest, and 3 months (retention test). Score differentiation and average normalized gain were calculated. Participants completed a post-simulation class survey.
Participants were 49 residents (PGY-2 = 24, PGY-3 = 25). The T group had the highest posttest score (17.06 ± 1.23); this score significantly differed from the O group (14.75 ± 2.57,
This study showed that a teaching role can be effectively applied for residents in simulation-based education on difficult airway management to support better learning outcomes.