This study does have several limitations.
First,
the sample size is small, limiting the ability to generalize findings
The total number of participants, however, does fall within the range of sample sizes for other IPS HFS experiences in the literature.
Second, the multisource ratings of observers and participants on the ORTAS were role- rather than individual-based.
Consequently, ratings for certain roles (ie, surgeon and nurse anesthetist) reflected a combined evaluation of the performance of the 2 individuals participating in those roles during each scenario (ie, a crew-based assessment).
This decision was made to facilitate evaluation of multiple roles by observers to limit the number needed per scenario.
Although scores could be skewed for a particular role by the stellar or terrible performance of one of the participants, the overall impact of this observer-based vs post hoc averaging on the role-based outcomes is likely minimal.
Finally, 3 scenarios had an excess of medical students who were required to watch then switch with their colleagues from scenario 1 to scenario 2.
Because this study focused on the SBT as an overall experience and all students participated in the debriefing, these individuals’ scores were included as one pre-/post-training score in analysis.
Given the large differences in performance demonstrated in this study, the likelihood that individuals in these groups would demonstrate enough lack of learning to impact results is low. In fact, it might have just as easily blunted results.