Revolutionizing Healthcare Education: Mobile Virtual Patients for Digital Problem-Based Learning

Abstract

The move to student-centered medical curriculum places greater emphasis on active learning and the development of clinical reasoning skills. Virtual Patients, defined as computer-based programs that simulate real-life clinical scenarios, have become increasingly popular as an enhancement to medical training. This study explores the usability and effectiveness of Mobile Virtual Patients (MVPs) in supporting healthcare professionals and medical students to develop skills related to symptom management, diagnosis, and treatment in the context of the H2020 SHAPES project for older adults. Fourteen participants, divided into two groups of seven each from the University of Nicosia and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, respectively, participated in PBL sessions using MVPs. These cases encompassed various conditions, from neurodegenerative diseases to chronic conditions, focusing on participants active engagement and inquiry-based learning. The System Usability Scale (SUS) and the Electronic Virtual Patients (eViP) toolkit were applied, which brought usability, technology acceptance, and clinical reasoning into perspective. Results showed high usability, with healthcare professionals giving an SUS of 86.2, compared to 77.5 for medical students. Both groups reported positive experiences, but medical students rated the learning effect and coaching higher than healthcare professionals. This suggests that MVPs are valuable instruments in enhancing clinical reasoning and knowledge acquisition. It further emphasizes the customization of MVPs for the various needs of a medical student and a healthcare professional to realize optimized educational outcomes. Future studies should address scalability, infrastructure needs, and inclusion in broader medical curricula to further advance the spread within healthcare education.