JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Simulation-based education is increasingly used in medical training to safely develop clinical skills. However, the perceived relevance of a simulation (“utility value”) to a learner’s future work may influence its effectiveness.

Objective:

This study evaluated a digital radiology simulation module for medical technical assistant (MTA) trainees in Germany, examining learning gains and the moderating role of utility value.

Methods:

Fifty German MTA-trainees (specializing in radiology or laboratory medicine) completed a pretest and posttest requiring them to arrange 12 steps of a contrast-injection procedure in correct order. All participants then engaged in an interactive computer simulation of the procedure. After the simulation, trainees rated their motivation, self-efficacy, and perceived utility value.

Results:

Trainees showed significant improvement in procedural sequencing from pretest to posttest (p < .001), indicating effective learning. Radiology-specialized trainees reported higher utility value for the training than lab-focused trainees (p < .001), though no group differences emerged in motivation or self-efficacy. Importantly, perceived utility value moderated learning gains: trainees who saw the simulation as more useful achieved greater improvements.

Conclusions:

The findings support expectancy-value theory in a simulation context. Incorporating personal relevance and aligning simulations with learners’ specializations may enhance training outcomes. The study highlights theoretical implications for motivation (utility value’s role) and practical implications for designing targeted simulations, while acknowledging limitations such as sample size and domain specificity.