A Large-Scale Multispecialty Evaluation of Web-Based Simulation in Medical Microbiology Laboratory Education: Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Traditional laboratory teaching of pathogenic cocci faces challenges in biosafety and standardization across medical specialties. While virtual simulation shows promise, evidence from large-scale, multidisciplinary studies remains limited. Objective: The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of integrating virtual simulation with traditional laboratory practice in enhancing medical microbiology education, focusing on the identification of biosafety level 2 pathogenic cocci. The study assessed improvements in student performance, theoretical understanding, laboratory safety, and overall satisfaction, while achieving standardization and cost reduction across multiple medical specialties. Methods: This randomized controlled trial involved 1282 medical students from 9 specialties. The experimental group (n=653) received virtual simulation training—featuring interactivity and intelligent feedback—prior to traditional laboratory practice, while the control group (n=629) did not receive such training. Our virtual system focused on biosafety level 2 pathogenic cocci identification with dynamic specimen generation. Results: The experimental group showed significantly improved performance across specialties (P