Impact of Advanced Simulated Case Scenarios on Medical Students' Perception of Non-Technical Skills: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Simulation-based medical education (SBME) has emerged as an innovative approach to enhancing both technical and non-technical skills (NTS) in medical education. NTS, encompassing communication, teamwork, and decision-making, are essential for patient safety and clinical outcomes. Perception of NTS development through simulated case scenarios, particularly in undergraduate medical education, is constantly being examined. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of advanced simulation-based case scenarios on final-year medical students’ perceptions of NTS, including communication, teamwork, and decision-making, and their role in improving patient care. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Dubai Medical University, involving 60 final-year female medical students. Participants engaged in five simulated case scenario sessions during their clinical rotation. Data was collected via a 5-point ordinal Likert scale structured questionnaire with parts adopted from the validated Observational Skill-based Clinical Assessment tool for Resuscitation (OSCAR), assessing perceptions of NTS and their influence on patient safety. Descriptive statistics and Spearman’s correlation were used for analysis utilizing the SPSS v29 software. Results: Out of the total 60 included participants, most reported high levels of agreement on the importance of NTS, with mean scores ranging from 4.47 to 4.58 across constructs. Communication demonstrated the strongest correlation with perceived impact on patient safety (rho = 0.774, p < 0.001), followed by teamwork (rho = 0.760, p < 0.001) and decision-making (rho = 0.671, p < 0.001). Feedback sessions and structured debriefings based on the Pendleton model enhanced participants’ understanding and application of NTS. Conclusion: Advanced simulated case scenarios incorporating structured briefing and debriefing positively influence NTS perception among medical students, in addition to their implications on patient safety and clinical outcomes. Future research should explore the integration of advanced technologies, such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence (AI). Longitudinal studies should evaluate real-world application of NTS in clinical settings as a result.