Needs Assessment: Integrating Medical Simulation in Residencies Programs in Saudi Arabia

Objectives: The use of simulation in the curricula of training programs has expanded significantly over the last decade. This study conducted a simulation needs assessment on diverse ongoing residency training programs supervised by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) in Saudi Arabia. The goal was to introduce a standardized methodological approach to integrate simulation as a teaching tool for any ongoing training programs. Method: a mixed-methods approach is used in four steps to focus on top educational needs and integrate simulation within the curriculum. In the first step, thirty-eight residency training programs underwent a selection process using the scoring criteria tool. Nine residency training programs were selected to be target programs. This step was followed by champions recruitment, where two faculty representatives from each specialty were oriented about the steps to be process facilitators. The third step is targeted audience needs assessment, consisting of four phases: curriculum review, targeted audience survey, a focus group of stakeholders' interview, and selecting the top identified educational needs. A metrics-based approach was used to rank the list of skills and behaviors by invited stakeholders. The last step was to build common themes using an integration simulation sheet to facilitate integrating simulation into the program curriculum. Results: Out of 38 programs, nine top-ranked specialties completed the process, and their roadmaps were developed. A critical appraisal facilitated by champions and simulation experts helped the stakeholders to identify the top needed skills and behaviors in each of the nine specialties. The final score proportion for each skill and behavior of the entire combined list was calculated then ranked. The proportion of top needed list of skills and behaviors were obtained as followings: Obstetrics and Gynecology 10 skills and behaviors concluded out of 84 (10/84), Emergency Medicine (ER) 80/242, Intensive care unit (ICU) 20/139, Internal Medicine (IM) 37/102, Pediatric 82/125, Ear Nose Throat (ENT) 49/125, General Surgery (GS) 55/114, Plastic Surgery 24/165, and Family Medicine (FM) 59/168. Conclusions: Findings from this process could provide a standardized approach to supervising bodies at a country level and support decision-makers with prioritizing criteria to be used in the needs assessment to integrate simulation in any other ongoing residency training programs.