Virtual patients

Developing clinical reasoning skills and more

Decorative digital illustration pixel VR

People

Team-based approach with clinical input from start, Approach with collaborative team-based frame of mind to design and development.

Want to find out more?

Contact Cath Fenn - Senior Academic Technologist

GPVP Team

Current Team: Helen Gabathuler (GP Lead), Suneil Bath, Shalini Dronavalli, Cath Fenn, David Harris, Sati Heer-Stavert, Hamish Sutcliffe.

Development team 2019 - 2021: Sue Davis (GP Lead), Thomas Dale MacLaine, Cath Fenn, Helen Gabathuler David Harris, Cornelia Juengst.

Student co-creators and researchers: Thomas Dale MacLaine, Harish Narayanan.

Phase 3 VP Team CommUnity

Tips for learning

You may find it helpful to make notes as you go along – especially of any clinically relevant findings like abnormal observations and test results.
The learning objectives for the case will be provided at the end after you have completed the episode - just like in real life, where initially you don't know the content your consultation will cover.
Please have a careful read as they will help you to consolidate your learning.
You can take a break and return to complete and/or review these virtual patient cases. Resume points are built in, and each case has a summary book available on completion.

Decorative digital illustration tools and cog

Tips for design

Keep it simple
Focus on intended outcomes
Pay attention to authenticity
Promote decision making
Prioritise inclusive practice
Annual review to maintain contemporary aspects

Platform

Our WMS approach uses Moodle as platform.
H5P Moodle integration for embedding interactive learning activities.

General Practice Virtual Patients

Clinton Jones - our general practice longitudinal virtual patient. Students meet Clinton at the virtual GP practice during their first teaching block. Four years later they have their final encounter during their last teaching block.

Thomas Dale MacLaine, Cornelia Juengst, David Harris, Catherine Fenn, Helen Gabathuler & Sue Davies (2021) The (future) doctor will see you now: Piloting a longitudinal virtual patient in medical education, simulating general practice, Medical Teacher, 43:4, 472-474, DOI: 10.1080/0142159X.2020.1853689

Advanced Cases 2 Virtual Patients

Aisha, Brian, and Craig - Three virtual patient cases to support students as they prepare to return to clinical placements after a break away from the clinical environment.
What do students say?

"It was good to start thinking like doctors again and I like that each case tied in lots of different aspects of the patient experience."
"I really liked the virtual patient cases. They were very engaging and was a very good guide for approaching a clinical scenario. You should definitely keep these and I will refer to them for learning. I learned a lot."

"The VPCs were good and interesting. It was useful to have such activities and with clear explanations throughout. For me personally, this type of learning is really useful to support clinical practice and I would really like to have more of these..."

"I enjoyed the patient cases, I thought they were really well rounded clinical scenarios."

"Interesting virtual patient cases covering a variety of conditions and good to get back to clinical reasoning thinking."

"VPCs very high quality and relevant to Phase 3, thinking about more complex / multifactorial cases."

"VPCs were really thorough and covered a lot of learning outcomes. Easy to engage with and make notes from."

"The VPC's were really engaging."

"Virtual Patients provided a broad range of learning outcomes, delivered in a very organic way. Reminded me of the learning outcomes that I am particularly weak on currently."

"Lots of information in each VPC and touched on triage systems and the sepsis six and other important tools such as alcohol screening tools. This allowed a refresh of important information that we will frequently use. "

Specialist Clinical Placement Virtual Patients