A Systems-oriented Approach to Medical Education Incorporates Virtual Patients and Gamification

The availability of diagnostic and therapeutic alternatives allows trainee medical professionals to receive more simulation-based training. In recent years, the entertainment industry has contributed greatly to the advancement of virtual humans (VH). On the other hand, gamification aims to make learning more exciting and engaging by incorporating stories and tracking systems into the learning process. A growing number of studies have documented the benefits of gamifying medical education. Through virtual patients (VPs), practitioners and learners can emulate practitioner-practitioners’ interests, as well as reverse roles and put learners in the patient’s position. Based on the VP framework and gamification, this study identifies potential problems and eliminates harmful consequences from a systemic perspective.