Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ensuring physician assistant (PA) students are adequately prepared and exposed to women’s health competencies is a requirement for PA programs regulated by Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA). Over the years, there has been a growing shortage of clinical rotation sites in women’s health, particularly those offering obstetrical experiences. Medical simulation is being suggested as an alternative method to supplement a student’s experience and to bridge knowledge gaps. Program faculty at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Physician Assistant Program developed, implemented, and piloted a simulated vaginal delivery experience performed on high-fidelity manikins for students in the didactic year. The labor and delivery experience enhanced clinical skills for upcoming clinical rotations through case-based learning. METHODS: During this pilot study, high-fidelity childbirth simulation manikins were utilized to offer didactic students a technologically innovative learning experience. Didactic students completed pre- and post-surveys evaluating their experience, knowledge, perspective and skill sets acquired in the labor and delivery setting. Conventional qualitative content analysis was applied to students’ optional narrative comments from the post-simulation survey. RESULTS: The pre and post-survey response rate was 98% and 74% respectively. Survey results demonstrated a positive student experience. Survey conceptually matched categories yielded high response regarding reinforcing clinical knowledge (93.4% pre-survey, 94.3% post-survey), hands-on/practical skills (92.3% pre-survey, 90.0% post-survey), and understanding/applying skills (93.4% pre-survey and 92.8% post-survey). Conventional qualitative content analysis revealed two prominent themes of Preparation for Clinical Rotations and Enhancing Knowledge Beyond the Classroom. CONCLUSION: Incorporating obstetrical simulation into the PA curriculum improves student preparation and comfort prior to real-life situations during clinical rotations. Data supports the use of problem-based obstetrical simulation as a valuable teaching alternative. Future research should evaluate the potential improvements in standardized testing scores in the field of women’s health after completing this problem-based learning simulation activity. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-025-08342-w.