First-year surgical residents from the McGill Faculty of Medicine were at the Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning to take part in OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Examination).
Rotating through different scenarios, OSCEs allow learners to develop their performance and competence in skills such as communication, clinical examination, medical procedures, etc. This hands-on approach provides an open space for improved decision-making, based on evidence-based practice for real-world responsibilities.
Jules Eustache, General Surgery Resident (left)
“Honestly, today was great. I think this was a really good chance to practice sensitive and complex situations that we may encounter. In one scenario, we were talking about ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ orders. It’s a sensitive topic. It’s nice to have situations where we can practice communicating with the patient in a setting where people are going to give us honest feedback. This feedback is going to help us improve so that when we go back into the real world, our patients are going to benefit from it.”
Sena Turkdogan, Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Resident (middle)
“The simulation centre allows us to see real-life scenarios that are difficult and challenging. I think it’s a great opportunity to be put in a stressful situation, knowing that the outcome is not real. This practice will allow us to be a little bit more comfortable when faced with challenging situations in real life. I enjoyed the situation about end-of-life care and discussing the patient’s goals. The supervisor who came in and debriefed us was talking about how everyone needs to find their own way of handling these difficult situations, and gave us tips on how to approach it. At the end of the day, every doctor will have his or her own way of doing things; it’s just a matter of getting comfortable with that way and listening to the patient.”
Nagi El Sabbagh, Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Resident (right)
“These scenarios were helpful in the sense that we were able to do things that we don’t do often in our practice, such as discussing the ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ order with patients. It’s important to keep a grasp on this aspect of our practice. To all the donors and contributors to the simulation center, thank you so much for making this a real-life experience for us and most importantly, a continuous learning opportunity. We can always practice our skills here; this is an invaluable asset that we have at McGill. Thank you so much for everything you’re doing for us!”
