Using Design Thinking to Improve Student Feedback in Healthcare Simulation

Patient safety remains a critical global challenge, with medical errors contributing to an estimated 400,000 deaths annually worldwide. Simulation-based training, particularly using Standardized Patients (SPs), has emerged as a promising approach to reducing such errors by providing medical students with realistic, hands-on learning experiences in a safe environment. SPs play a multifaceted role in simulation training, including designing case scenarios, delivering feedback, and ensuring the consistency of simulation outcomes. However, despite their importance, SPs face significant challenges in providing effective feedback, often due to limited resources, support, and the complexity of balancing multiple responsibilities. This paper explores the challenges SPs encounter in the feedback process and investigates strategies to better support them in their roles. It also examines the potential of design thinking—a user-centered, innovative problem-solving approach—to enhance SP training and improve the quality of feedback delivery. By engaging stakeholders such as medical educators, SP trainers, and students, this study aims to contribute to the development of more effective and supportive simulation training practices, ultimately enhancing patient safety and the quality of healthcare education