Come out of Your Shell—A Comparative Pilot Study for Teaching the Central Plastrotomy in Chelonians Using a 3D-Printed Simulator and a Virtual 3D Simulation

A pilot study was conducted with 5th-8th semester students comparing a 3D-printed simulator and a virtual 3D simulation. This study's aim was the comparison of these two resources in three different settings. Assessment of the resources' suitability as teaching devices for performing a central plastrotomy in chelonians took place. One group used the simulator, while the other group used the simulation to practice this method in a preparation course. Afterwards, the practical skills of 28 students were validated in an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). The students evaluated their respective resources (simulator and simulation). Additionally, 10 practicing veterinarians evaluated the simulator and rated its fidelity as suitable for practicing a plastrotomy. Furthermore, the self-efficacy of the two student groups was compared with each other. An increase in subjective self-assessment of skills in both groups was identified. Students trained on the simulator achieved better results in the OSCE and self-assessment of skills than those trained with the simulation. However, the differences between the groups regarding these aspects were mostly not significant. This study indicates that a 3D-printed chelonian simulator serves as an appropriate teaching device for veterinary students and is a useful addition to established teaching methods, like using cadavers.