Table 4 Themes and Representative Quotations of Positive and Negative Medical Teachers’ Experiences with Virtual Patients
From: Curricular integration of virtual patients: a unifying perspective of medical teachers and students
Codes | Examples of positive codes | Examples of negative codes |
|---|---|---|
Major Theme (1) Educational aspects of VP use (159) | ||
Subtheme (1a) Clinical Care of patient (34) | ||
1.Clinical Efficiency (10) | “It makes the virtual visit go smoother…I take notes and prioritize knowledge… I don’t have to flip through a huge scenario” n = 8 | “The doctor spends too much time” n = 2 |
2.Case review (24) | “I can go back and look at important test results” n = 23 | “There are ECHO reports, but it seems like I don’t find where there are in the scenario” n = 1 |
Subtheme (1b) Learning effect of the VP (55) | ||
1.Facilitation of knowledge (11) | “The case and virtual trainer was asking me questions to verify and make sure everything is correct” n = 10 | If they used some graphs or charts, I might say that was more effective” n = 1 |
2.Medical history (23) | “I had easy access to the vp history at my convenience” n = 21 | “There are inaccuracies in at each scenario node I go to, they’re not always updating it” n = 2 |
3.Assessment of knowledge (21) | “I think that learning with the virtual patients is important in order to do well in the final exam for this course” n = 17 | “It does not make you feel secure enough” n = 4 |
Subtheme (1c) Information Access (40) | ||
1.Accessibility of information (20) | “…with these records online I have easier access” n = 19 | “Sometimes the computer doesn’t work and I can’t access information.” n = 1 |
2.Suitable information (20) | “Every node included information as in real life patients” n = 19 | “Some links to nodes were linked to inappropriate information” n = 1 |
Subtheme (1d) Quality of educational resource (30) | ||
1.Authenticity of patient encounter (16) | “While working on this case, it was like I had to make the same decisions a doctor would make” n = 15 | “I didn’t feel like being a real the doctor caring for a real patient” n = 1 |
2.Professional approach (14) | “I was gathering the information I needed, to characterize the problem” n = 12 | “It was difficult to think which findings supported or refuted each diagnosis” n = 2 |
Major Theme (2) Communication aspects of VP use (59) | ||
Subtheme (2a) Students engagement (37) | ||
1.Use of media material (21) | “Videos add realism in the scenario and makes you want to visit quickly the next step” n = 20 | “Avatars make it seem fake…better with real patients” n = 1 |
2.Facilitate the user discussion (12) | “You can talk and look at results together in the computer…” n = 8 | “Everybody may work alone in front of a PC” n = 4 |
3.Student questions (4) | “Students might have questions for the teacher that might forget, but going through the VP together may help them to remember their questions” n = 3 | “They may read what’s on the screen and forget to say something” n = 1 |
Subtheme (2b) Student collaboration (22) | ||
1.Ideas sharing (13) | “Students can discuss on several different decision pathways each scenario includes” n = 9 | “VPs may not discuss if it used as a self learning process” n = 4 |
2.Social presence (9) | “You feel like part of a ‘community’ during the corresponding teaching events.” n = 6 | “Someone may feel insecure to openly share shortcomings” n = 3 |