Creation of Virtual Patients for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Medical Education: An Experience from Pakistan

Objective: To create virtual patients as an educational tool to determine their feasibility and effectiveness in clinical problem solving. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of the Study: The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from 2018 to 2021. Methodology: Prototype virtual patients were developed at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, for medical trainees. Articulate Storyline 360 software was used for creating clinical encounters. Undergraduate students and postgraduate trainees were selected using purposive sampling to practice on these virtual patients (VPs). They were asked to provide feedback on the construction and usefulness of virtual patients as a learning modality. Results: Two VPs were created and used. The geriatric VP was used for the assessment of final-year students. Twenty-five students gave detailed feedback after completion. Most (90%) agreed that the VP provided realistic scenarios and improved clinical reasoning. Almost five identified the need to improve navigational instructions. The pediatric VP for postgraduate trainees was well received. Almost 90% reported that it facilitated learning and improved knowledge and clinical reasoning. There was a 30% increase in post-test scores, supporting it as an adjunct resource for clinical learning. Conclusion: Virtual patients can be easily created using local disease patterns to make learning more contextual. They enhance clinical reasoning and decision-making in a safe learning environment.