Digital transformation of communication skills in health professional education: Virtual Patients

This case study from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) describes the digital transformation of communication skills training through the development of Virtual Patient (VP) scenarios embedded in the undergraduate medical curriculum. Led by the Health Professions Education Centre, the initiative addresses identified gaps in opportunities to practise challenging communication scenarios. Co-designed with patient advocates, marginalised community representatives, clinicians, and education technologists, the VP scenarios simulate complex clinical interactions and provide structured feedback via an AI coach. Embedded in Moodle for Year 4 medical students, the programme supports scaffolded, experiential learning aligned with curriculum blueprinting. Early qualitative evaluation indicates that students value the authenticity and practice opportunities offered by the scenarios, with further analytics and expansion planned across healthcare programmes.