Improving clinical reasoning by transferring the control of the path and the branches of the virtual patient to trainees using a non-linear, non-branched model
David Price, Siobhán O’Keefe, E. Johnson, Jordan Pung · MedEdPublish · 2016
This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. Non-linear, non-branched (NLNB) virtual patient (VP) models have no defined paths or branches and emulate the "real world" where health professionals evaluate and manage their patients contemporaneously. This model has not been evaluated in prior studies but has potential to increase trainee interactivity and clinical reasoning.We evaluated NLNB VPs engagement by third-year medical students. After reading an initial clinical vignette students used a single textbox with an autocomplete feature to find keywords and select associated actions needed to provide care for their virtual patients.As students found and selected actions their engagement varied significantly based on the content the author provided. This commitment of time indicated the students' interest in the author-provided content. Students used intrinsic motivation to gathered data and provide interventions. They used free text to add items to a problem list and the differential diagnosis. They were cognitively immersed.Sixty-four students engaged a mean of 2.69 NLNB VPs where actions were not categorized or listed. Students found actions to provide care for the virtual patient when well-defined paths or branches were absent. NLNB VPs transfer control of the path and decisions to the trainees thereby increasing interactivity and potentially promoting critical thinking.