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Twelve Tips

12 Tips: Guidelines for authoring virtual patient cases

Pages 701-708 | Received 29 Aug 2008, Accepted 02 Feb 2009, Published online: 09 Sep 2009
 

Abstract

Background: Virtual patient cases are an increasingly utilized and compelling pedagogical strategy for medical education informatics. They provide educators with the opportunity to develop richly layered, multidimensional teaching situations for their learners. However, ‘virtual patients are notoriously difficult to author, adapt and exchange’ (MedBiquitous Virtual Patient Specification, Virtual Patient Working Group 2007), and case creation can be daunting. Authors may be uncertain about the process of virtual patient case development and this can translate into ambiguity and hesitation.

Aims: This installment of the ‘12 tips’ presents specific guidelines that are intended to provide medical educators with guidelines to facilitate the development of virtual patient cases.

Methods: These 12 tips are based upon comprehensive, research-based, theory-grounded and criterion-referenced guidelines and founded in pedagogical principles, theories of cognition, and recognition of current technology and availability of authoring applications.

Results: It is anticipated that the 12 tips will provide medical educators interested in authoring virtual patient cases one set of useful guidelines to facilitate the process.

Conclusions: Virtual patient cases provide medical educators with an innovative tool for medical education. These guidelines will assist authors in case development.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nancy Posel

NANCY POSEL N., M.Ed PhD student is the Assistant Director of the McGill Molson Medical Informatics Project. As a nurse and an educator she has been committed to advancing clinical and healthcare education informatics throughout her career. Ms Posel is currently pursuing her PhD in Integrated Studies in Education at McGill University.

David Fleiszer

DAVID FLEISZER, M.D.C.M., F.R.C.S. (C), F.A.C.S. is an Associate Professor of Surgery at the McGill University Faculty of Medicine. He is the Director of the McGill Molson Medical Informatics Project and the Director of the McGill University Health Center Education, Health and Informatics Portfolio.

Bruce M. Shore

BRUCE M. SHORE, M.a. PhD is a Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance, Faculty of Education, McGill University. His research focuses on inquiry as a curricular focus across levels of education; evaluation of outcomes, expertize, and cognitive differences in learning and thinking.

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