Medical simulation as a complement to traditional clinical teaching

Medical simulation is a tool that allows students to participate in realistic clinical scenarios, providing skills and confidence before facing real situations. This raises the question of whether simulation can achieve better results than traditional clinical teaching. The aim of this article is to analyze the educational and economic impact of both methods to determine their effectiveness as complementary strategies in medical training. A narrative review with a comparative approach was conducted to evaluate the educational and economic effects of medical simulation versus traditional clinical teaching. Findings confirm that simulation has become an effective pedagogical strategy, complementary and in some aspects superior, by improving the acquisition and retention of clinical skills, self-confidence, and patient safety. This effect is related to deliberate practice and immediate feedback. Economically, although it requires considerable initial investment, simulation proves cost-effective in the medium and long term. Traditional clinical teaching remains irreplaceable for the development of clinical judgment, empathy, and direct patient experience. Overall, available evidence supports that the most effective educational model is the integration of both approaches.