Application effect of PBL combined with skeletal simulation-based surgical training teaching mode in orthopedic teaching

Orthopedics is a highly practical clinical discipline, and traditional single problem-based learning (PBL) teaching is limited by the lack of intuitive operational training, which easily leads to the disconnection between theoretical learning and clinical practice in medical students. This study aimed to explore the application effect of PBL combined with skeletal simulation-based surgical training teaching mode in orthopedic clinical rotation, so as to provide a more efficient and practical teaching optimization scheme for orthopedic clinical teaching. A total of 80 orthopedic interns were enrolled and randomly divided into the PBL group (40 cases) and the PBL combined with skeletal simulation training group (PBL combined group, 40 cases) by the random number table method. Baseline data such as age, gender and grade point average (GPA) of the two groups were compared to ensure baseline balance and comparability. Immersive clinical teaching scenarios simulating orthopedic surgical environments were established for the PBL combined group, including orthopedic anatomy demonstration areas, simulated operating stations and digital image reading areas. After the teaching intervention, a self-designed teaching evaluation scale and teaching assessment scale were adopted to evaluate students’ teaching satisfaction and core professional competencies including theoretical knowledge mastery, case analysis ability and clinical practical operation ability, and inter-group statistical difference analysis was performed. The results showed that there were no significant differences in baseline demographic and academic data between the two groups ( P > 0.05). The teaching evaluation score and comprehensive teaching assessment score of the PBL combined group were significantly higher than those of the PBL group, and the differences were statistically significant ( t = 3.3162, P = 0.0020; t = 4.0990, P = 0.0002). The PBL combined with skeletal simulation-based surgical training teaching mode can effectively make up for the practical deficiencies of traditional PBL teaching, significantly improve orthopedic interns’ learning satisfaction, theoretical knowledge mastery, clinical thinking and practical operation abilities. It is an efficient and feasible teaching mode, which is worthy of popularization and application in orthopedic internship teaching. This clinical trial was preregistered via the China National Medical Research Registration and Filing System. The national research filing number is MR3226054559. The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry registration number is ChiCTR2600129632. Registration date August 7, 2026 retrospectively registered.