Clinical simulation in the development of clinical competencies and meaningful learning in medical students in Cajamarca - Peru 2025

Introduction: Clinical simulation (CS) improves medical training, especially in Latin American countries, and stands out in the post-pandemic context as a key educational tool in Peru. Materials and methods: Quantitative study carried out with 122 medical students from the National University of Cajamarca, using validated questionnaires to evaluate clinical competencies and meaningful learning. Results: The majority of students are between 22 and 23 years old, with female predominance (54.1%). The results show that clinical simulation has a regular perception (45.9%) in quality and resources. Clinical competencies present regular levels of knowledge (48.4%), skills (49.2%) and attitudes (47.5%), highlighting the need to integrate theory and practice. Significant learning shows a good level of knowledge (40.2%) but deficiencies in motivation (37.7%). Positive correlations were found between clinical simulation, clinical competencies and significant learning (Rho = 0.661 to 0.698), with no differences according to sex, age or academic year. Discussion: Despite the benefits, SC faces limitations in infrastructure and methodology, and its effectiveness depends on better integrating theory and practice into training programs. Conclusion: Clinical simulation improves medical education, but its effectiveness depends on better integration, teacher training, and hands-on approach.