title: Evaluation of Branched-Narrative Virtual Patients for Interprofessional Education of Psychiatry Residents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This pilot study evaluated the utility of branched-narrative virtual patients in an interprofessional education series for psychiatry residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Third-year psychiatry residents attended four interprofessional education advanced psychopharmacology sessions that involved completion of a branched-narrative virtual patient and a debriefing session with a psychiatric pharmacist. Pre- and post-assessments analyzed resident learning and were administered around each virtual patient. Simulation 4 served as a comprehensive review. The primary outcome was differences in pre- and post-assessment scores. Secondary outcomes included resident satisfaction with the virtual patient format and psychiatric pharmacist involvement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post-test scores for simulations 1, 2, and 3 demonstrated significant improvement (p < 0.05) from pre-test scores. Scores for simulation 4 did not retain significance. Resident satisfaction with the branched-narrative virtual patient format and psychiatric pharmacist involvement was high throughout the series (100 %; n = 18).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there are important methodological limitations to this study including a small sample size and absence of a comparator group, this pilot study supports the use of branched-narrative virtual patients in an interprofessional education series for advanced learners.
authors.affiliation: University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX, USA. wilkenin@uiwtx.edu.
authors.forename: G Lucy
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Wilkening
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gannon
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Clint
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Marymount Hospital, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Tanya J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Fabian
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Marcsisin
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Neal J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Benedict
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D033262:Narration; D010595:Pharmacists; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D011600:Psychopharmacology / Q000193:education
keywords: Computer simulation; Graduate medical education; Interprofessional education; Psychiatry/education