Document resource
Objectives To quantitatively compare virtual patient (VP) design elements that support clinical reasoning (CR) training for medical students between an AI-enhanced social robotic VP platform and a conventional computer-based VP platform in rheumatology.Methods We conducted a randomised cross-over trial involving 178 sixth-semester medical students at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden during clinical rotations in rheumatology. Students experienced a social robotic VP platform with an integrated large language model to support dialogue (SARI) and a conventional computer-based VP platform (VIC) during CR training sessions. VP design was evaluated using a validated questionnaire. Student preferences for CR training were assessed using categorical responses and a visual analogue scale.Results SARI demonstrated significant superiority over VIC across multiple domains of VP design. Students rated SARI higher for authenticity of patient encounters (median [IQR]: 4.0 [3.5–4.5] versus 3.0 [2.5–3.5]; p<0.001), professional approach during consultation (median [IQR]: 4.5 [4.0–4.8] versus 4.0 [3.5–4.5]; p<0.001), coaching during consultation (median [IQR]: 4.3 [4.0–4.7] versus 4.0 [3.7–4.7]; p<0.001), and learning effect of consultation (median [IQR]: 4.4 [4.0–5.0] versus 4.0 [3.5–4.5]; p<0.001), all on scales from 1 to 5. Students overwhelmingly preferred SARI over VIC for CR training (72% versus 14%; OR: 27.1; 95% CI: 14.3–53.7; p<0.001). These preferences were consistent across sexes but did not reach statistical significance among students with prior VP experience or those first introduced to VIC, although a numerical preference for SARI was observed in all subgroups.Abstract PO:12:327 Figure 1Conclusions AI-enhanced social robotic VPs provide superior design characteristics for CR training for medical students compared to conventional computer-based platforms. These results corroborate prior research supporting the integration of AI with social robotics as a promising approach for VP simulations aimed at preparing medical students for real clinical encounters in rheumatology.