Learning and Teaching in Clinical Skills Laboratories

Clinical skills laboratories provide a dedicated area where students can practice using a range of models and simulators. • Having an academic lead for clinical skills and a laboratory manager is highly recommended. • The clinical skills program should be embedded in the curriculum. • Feedback on learning should be an integral part of teaching in a clinical skills laboratory. • Supporting learning resources (instruction manuals, videos, etc.) should be provided for students to use during taught classes and for self-directed learning. • Instructor training (“train the trainer”) is helpful for all involved in delivering teaching (faculty, practitioners, technicians, and students). • Clinical skills laboratories are an ideal venue in which to run assessments such as objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs).