The impact of model fidelity on acquisition of abdominal incision closure skills in novice veterinary students

Abstract

Veterinary surgical simulation can be used to increase student competency prior to live animal surgery. Abdominal surgeries are common, so the ability to perform a three-layer abdominal incision closure is critical. This study compared one lower-fidelity (LF) model made of foam and fabric, and one higherfidelity (HF) model made of poured silicone, for teaching novice veterinary students this task. Veterinarians (n=10) evaluated both models. Students (n=38) were randomly assigned to LF and HF groups. They participated in four three-hour teaching sessions using their model and completed a model evaluation survey. Students were recorded performing three-layer closure on a canine cadaver before and after their training. Blinded raters scored the recordings, using a task-specific rubric. Veterinarians believed both models were suitable for training and assessment (median ‘agree’, 5-point Likert scale, both models). Students reported that both models were not helpful for learning the task (median ‘disagree’, both models), but student improvement scores, calculated by subtracting each student’s pre-test score from the post-test score, were positive values for 78% of LF and 95% of HF students (p=0.12). Improvement scores were statistically higher for the HF group (M=7.9) than for the LF group (M=4.1, p=0.04). This suggests that even for novice students, an increase in model fidelity may improve learning outcomes for three-layer incision closure. Selecting the most appropriate model for teaching remains a multifactorial decision.