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MedEd DeepDive: Where Innovation Meets Education
Whether you're a student navigating the complexities of medical school, an educator striving to improve learning outcomes, a researcher pushing the boundaries of knowledge, or a policymaker shaping the future of medical education—this podcast is for you.
In Season 1 of MedEd DeepDive, we explore the cutting-edge innovations transforming how we teach and learn. From the use of AI and chatbots to combat vaccine misinformation to the game-changing potential of virtual simulations and the metaverse in medical training, our episodes dive into the latest research and real-world applications. We'll also discuss innovative tools like serious games, escape rooms, and virtual patients that make learning more immersive and effective.
Join us as we examine the technological advancements and essential human elements of healthcare education, highlighting how strategies like interprofessional education, team-based learning, and even traditional methods like moulage can create a more holistic and impactful approach.
Subscribe now to stay ahead of the curve and participate in the conversation shaping the future of healthcare education.
Welcome back, everyone. Ready for another deep dive. Today, we're taking you to the cutting edge of health care education. We're talking about virtual patients.
Yassin:And we're dissecting a really fascinating systematic review about how virtual patients measure up against good old fashioned learning.
Zaynab:We're gonna figure out if they live up to the hype. Now when I hear virtual patient, I've gotta be honest. I'm picturing, like, super realistic video game characters. Is that what we're talking about here?
Yassin:You know, the tech is always getting better, but the heart of it is about simulating those face to face patient interactions. Imagine, like, jumping into scenarios. You're gathering info, making diagnoses, even navigating the emotional side of health care, all virtually.
Zaynab:Okay. So less like a fancy textbook, more like you're thrown right into the deep end, virtually at least. And the study we're diving into really takes a microscope to how well this kind of learning actually works. Am I right?
Yassin:It does. Yeah. And it's not just one study either. We're talking meta analysis here. They do it like a super study.
Yassin:This one combines data from a whopping 51 studies, all about virtual patients.
Zaynab:51. Wow. Okay. They were messing around. That's that's a lot of data.
Zaynab:And we're not just talking about doctors and training. Right? What other health care professions were included in these studies?
Yassin:Oh, you're right. It's super broad. We're talking nurses, pharmacists, surgeons, physical therapists, you name it. They wanted to see how virtual patients affected learning across all these different fields.
Zaynab:Got it. Got it. Before we jump into the nitty gritty of the findings, you mentioned experiential learning theory earlier. Sounds like something straight out of a textbook, but I have a feeling it's at the core of why virtual patients even exist in the first place.
Yassin:100%. The basic idea is this. We learn best by rolling up our sleeves and doing the thing. Right? Engaging with the material, not just passively letting it wash over us.
Yassin:And virtual patients. They're all about that. They give you a safe space to learn by doing, to make calls and see what happens, all without real world consequences.
Zaynab:Makes sense to me. Like, think about baking a cake. You can read about it all day long, or you can actually get your hands dirty in the kitchen. Hands on learning, even with a few mistakes along the way, that's where the real magic happens.
Yassin:Exactly. And that's what's so cool about virtual patients. You can mess up. You can try and fail and try again in a safe space. They let you build those skills without the risk of harming a real patient.
Zaynab:Alright. So we've got a massive study here, 51 studies all about virtual patients and how well they help people learn. What's the verdict? Do they actually work?
Yassin:So when it came to just straight up knowledge, like medical terms or knowing how a procedure works, virtual patients were about the same as traditional learning.
Zaynab:So no shortcuts there. Part of me was hoping it'd be like, you know, downloading info straight into your brain matrix style.
Yassin:Right. Wouldn't that be something? But here's where it gets interesting. For building actual skills, the practical stuff, virtual patients were way out in front.
Zaynab:Okay. Now we're talking. So less about memorizing facts, more about knowing how to use them in the real world. What is it about virtual patients that gives them that extra edge when it comes to skills?
Yassin:It all comes back to that experiential learning thing. With a virtual patient, you're not just reading a textbook. You're in the driver's seat making decisions. You have to think on your feet, analyze the situation, and deal with the fallout even if it's virtual fallout.
Zaynab:Love that. It's like they say, knowing a tomato is a fruit that's knowledge, not putting it in a fruit salad that's wisdom. Virtual patients are like a wisdom workout for health care.
Yassin:Exactly. And get this. This wasn't just true in fancy high-tech hospitals. Studies from places with limited resources, they found the same thing. Virtual patients were boosting skills.
Zaynab:Now that's huge. Everyone benefits. That means virtual patients could really help even the playing field in health care education no matter where you are in the world. Did they give any specific examples of how this played out in a, less resourced setting?
Yassin:Yeah. Actually, there's this one study. It was in rural India. Nurses who trained with virtual patients, they got so much better at diagnosing and managing childhood illnesses even compared to the nurses who did traditional training. It really shows you the potential here, how virtual patients can bridge those gaps and make a difference for patients everywhere.
Zaynab:I love it. Okay. So globally effective, better for building skills. Anything else our listeners should know about the big picture findings before we dig into the really thought provoking stuff?
Yassin:One more thing. Students mostly enjoyed using virtual patients, but, you know, not everyone loved it. Just like any learning tool, some people click with it, some people don't. Right?
Zaynab:Totally. Everyone learns differently. But it sounds like, overall, there's strong evidence here. Virtual patients, especially for building those essential skills, they're a game changer. Okay.
Zaynab:Now for the part I'm really excited about, those little details, those, that's interesting moments. Did anything in particular catch your eye?
Yassin:Definitely. One thing that stood out was that virtual patients worked best when they actually replaced passive learning, like lectures or reading, instead of just being an add on.
Zaynab:Oh, interesting. So instead of just tacking them on at the end, they're more powerful when they're baked right into the curriculum. Less passive listening, more active doing. Anyone who's ever sat through a boring lecture has to be happy about that.
Yassin:For sure. And for everyone who's all about working smarter, not harder, this is key. It could mean we can achieve even better results in less time by really focusing on active learning, like we see with virtual patients.
Zaynab:Efficiency and effectiveness, music to my ears. What else jumped out at you from the research? What other moments did you find?
Yassin:Well, one finding that surprised me was that the simulations where learners had more guidance, like a clear storyline to follow, those actually worked better than the ones where they had complete freedom.
Zaynab:Really? I would have thought more freedom, more realistic, more you'd learn. Why do you think that is?
Yassin:It does seem counterintuitive. But too much freedom. Even in a virtual world, it can be overwhelming, especially when you're still learning the ropes. It's about that balance. Right?
Yassin:Giving enough structure to keep learners engaged and moving forward, but still letting them make choices and learn from them.
Zaynab:Like, having training wheels when you're first learning to ride a bike, you still get the experience, but you know you're not gonna totally wipe out.
Yassin:Exactly. And for anyone who's ever felt buried under an avalanche of info, this is a good reminder. It's about finding that sweet spot, making the learning challenging, but not so open ended that people just feel lost.
Zaynab:Gotta find that sweet spot. Okay. Hit me with one more intriguing finding before we wrap up. What else did this research unearth?
Yassin:Okay. So this one really made me think. Some studies showed that students actually felt less confident after using virtual patients even when their skills had objectively improved.
Zaynab:Wait. Hold on. They were getting better, but they felt worse. That doesn't seem right. How could that be?
Yassin:It's a head scratcher. Right. It could be a few things. It's possible that even though they were making progress, some learners just felt more comfortable with what they knew with those traditional methods.
Zaynab:Like anything new, there's a learning curve. Maybe they weren't quite there yet with the virtual patients even if they were picking up the skills. Kinda like when I was learning to drive stick shift, could I get the car moving? Sure.
Yassin:Wow.
Zaynab:Did I feel confident doing it? Not so much. What other explanations did they give for this confidence gap? Well,
Yassin:they also thought that maybe some students really value the face to face time you get in clinical rotations, you know, the traditional kind.
Zaynab:Yeah. Working with real patients, even if it's more intense in the moment, it makes sense that it could really boost your confidence.
Yassin:It's that human connection, that been there, done that feeling. And virtual patients, even as real as they're getting, they can't quite replicate that yet.
Zaynab:Like, imagine watching a cooking show versus actually working in a restaurant kitchen. You learn from both, but nothing beats that real world experience.
Yassin:Exactly.
Zaynab:Okay. We've covered a lot, what virtual patients are, how they work, what the research says about them, but let's bring it home for our listeners.
Yassin:Let's do it.
Zaynab:So what? You're listening because you're curious about this stuff. How does this research actually affect you?
Yassin:That's the $1,000,000 question. Right? If you're interested in the future of health care student, educator, or even a future patient, this research matters. It matters a lot.
Zaynab:Lay it on us. What's the big takeaway?
Yassin:Virtual patients have the potential to completely change how we teach and learn health care, and that impacts, well, health care itself.
Zaynab:Okay. Love it. Break it down for us.
Yassin:More effective training, more efficient training. It means we're creating a new generation of health care professionals who are ready for anything.
Zaynab:And more confident, more competent health care providers. That means better care for everyone.
Yassin:A 100%. And we've seen how this technology can even the playing field globally. No matter your resources, where you are in the world, quality healthcare education is within reach.
Zaynab:Which is amazing when you think about the challenges so many places are facing.
Yassin:For sure. But as exciting as it is, we can't just expect to throw technology at the problem and call it a day. This research shows us there's still so much to learn.
Zaynab:Like what? What are the big questions when it comes to virtual patients going forward?
Yassin:We've gotta keep figuring out how to best design these simulations, how to integrate them into all kinds of learning environments, how do we tailor them, make them work for different learning styles, different specialties, even different cultures. There's so much room to grow.
Zaynab:And it goes beyond just the tech itself. Right? It's making sure we're using it in a way that actually helps people learn better.
Yassin:Got it. It's not about ditching traditional learning. It's about finding that balance, high-tech and high touch, to train the health care heroes of tomorrow.
Zaynab:Striking that balance, that's the key. This has been an awesome deep dive. Virtual patients have incredible potential, but like with any new technology, they're a tool. And how effective that tool is? Well, that depends entirely on us.
Yassin:Couldn't have said it better myself.
Zaynab:For everyone who wants to learn more, we'll have a link to the research plus some other cool resources on virtual patients in the show notes. So until next time, keep exploring, keep asking questions, keep diving deep.