title: [Virtual patients in medical education: a comparison of various strategies for curricular integration].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  E-Learning applications are an integral part of modern medical curricula. Nevertheless, there is only a narrow empirical basis for an optimal integration strategy of computerized teaching methods in medical education. This article focuses on the integration experiences with three different online systems for interactive virtual patients (VPs) in clinical undergraduate medical education at the universities of Heidelberg, Munich (LMU), and Wuerzburg.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five different integration strategies for VPs are presented and compared with respect to motivational aspects, logistics and acceptance of both students and teachers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A voluntary use of VPs without curricular integration leads to low acceptance. Exam relevance of VPs and integration with face-to-face teaching are key factors for a high level of acceptance. The assets and drawbacks of all described strategies are discussed in the conclusions of this article.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Case-based e-learning can be successfully integrated into clinical undergraduate medical education when key factors are considered.
authors.affiliation: Schwerpunkt Medizindidaktik, Medizinische Klinik-Innenstadt, Klinikum der Universität München. martin.fischer@uni-wh.de
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hege
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hörnlein
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puppe
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tönshoff
authors.forename: Sören
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huwendiek
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014584:User-Computer Interface