Perception of faculty towards simulation-based teaching in Otorhinolaryngology

Introduction:Changing curriculum has led to transforming the role of teachers to that of facilitators. Simulation-based teaching is a practical method of teaching both essential and emergency procedures. The study aims to assess the challenges in simulation-based teaching Methodology:This cross-sectional study was conducted from March to August 2024 across 50% of the medical colleges in Karnataka. Of the 67 medical colleges in the state, nine that had been established within the last two years were excluded. The study population comprised 33 faculty members from the Department of Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), of various medical colleges across Karnataka. The results were expressed in percentages and proportions. Results14 (42.4%) faculty members had received Simulation-based training, and 26(78.8%) colleges had a functional simulation lab. More than 50% of the faculty members said that they had sufficient mannequins for foreign bodies and tracheostomy. The faculty members perceived that major challenges for simulation-based teaching were - students not getting sufficient hands-on practice, and lesser number of mannequins Conclusion The majority of the study participants believed that simulation-based teaching improved the knowledge and clinical skills of the students. Infrastructural, faculty deficiency, and the training of faculty      are the significant challenges.