A comparative study of short-term intensive and prolonged low-intensity simulation training on clinical competence among medical students.

Introduction: Clinical simulation training is widely used to improve procedural proficiency and patient safety; however, the relative effectiveness of different training schedules remains uncertain. This study compared clinical competence outcomes associated with short-term intensive and prolonged distributed simulation training among medical students. Methods: This prospective, non-randomized comparative cohort study included 48 fifth-year medical students. Based on their preferences, participants selected either a 15-day intensive simulation program (Group A, Results: Group A achieved higher competition scores than Group B in basic surgical procedures, internal medicine procedures, gynecological and pediatric procedures, emergency medical skills, and physician-patient communication skills (all Discussion: Participation in short-term intensive simulation training was associated with better immediate competition performance and more favorable instructor and student ratings than participation in prolonged distributed training. However, because group allocation was preference-based and potentially important baseline variables were unavailable, the findings do not establish causal superiority or long-term benefits of intensive training. Concentrated, feedback-rich simulation may be useful when immediate technical and team performance is prioritized, but randomized studies incorporating retention and clinical-transfer outcomes are needed.