Teaching professionalism through virtual means.
OBJECTIVE
Virtual patients are used across a variety of clinical disciplines for both teaching and assessment, but are they an appropriate environment in which to develop professional skills? This study aimed to evaluate students' perceived effectiveness of an online interactive virtual patient developed to augment a personal professional development curriculum, and to identify factors that would maximise the associated educational benefits.


METHODS
Student focus group discussions were conducted to explore students' views on the usefulness and acceptability of the virtual patient as an educational tool to teach professionalism, and to identify factors for improvement. A thematic content analysis was used to capture content and synthesise the range of opinions expressed.


RESULTS
Overall there was a positive response to the virtual patient. The students recognised the need to teach and assess professionalism throughout their curriculum, and viewed the virtual patient as a potentially engaging and valuable addition to their curriculum. We identified factors for improvement to guide the development of future virtual patients.


CONCLUSIONS
It is possible to improve approaches to teaching and learning professionalism by exploring students' views on innovative teaching developments designed to augment personal professional development curricula.
The Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland. elleus@yahoo.com
Michelle
M
McEvoy
Bryan
B
Butler
Geraldine
G
MacCarrick
D003198:Computer Simulation; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D026690:Ethics, Clinical / Q000193:education*; D004995:Ethics, Professional / Q000193:education*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*