Stress and heart rate in high-fidelity training scenarios for undergraduate medical students.

Seven third-year medical students underwent continuous ambulatory heart rate monitoring while performing a highfidelity simulation of an upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Preand post-simulation Likert-style questionnaires were distributed, in which students rated their levels of perceived anxiety regarding a selection of common clinical situations encountered in simulation. Intra-simulation heart rate readings were taken at 2-minute intervals, and compared to baseline reading taken in a classroom. Paired Studentu0027s t -test was used to compare average baseline heart rate to average heart rate on entering the simulation environment, and average heart rate increase during the scenario. Point data were used for anecdotal comment. Local ethical approval was granted as a service evaluation.