Evidence

Tested in classrooms, published in peer-reviewed journals.

CyberPatient came out of medical education research at the University of British Columbia and has been studied since 2004, most recently in eClinicalMedicine, part of The Lancet Discovery Science.

Featured studies

Three studies worth your time.

Virtual medical university · 2024

+53.6 OSCE

105 students from eight Afghan universities enrolled in a four-week programme combining CyberPatient simulations, Lecturio content, live Zoom classes and faculty teaching. Knowledge scores rose significantly at every level. OSCE clinical competency rose by 53.6 points among the 14 Level 2 students who completed both assessments, and by 41.4 points at Level 3. Before-and-after design, no control group.

eClinicalMedicine, part of The Lancet Discovery Science, 76, 102854, 2024

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Knowledge retention · 2023

91.9 vs 82.6

In a randomized study of 143 fifth-year medical students, knowledge retention two months after training was significantly higher for the virtual patient group (91.9) than for traditional bedside teaching (82.6), p < 0.05, and on par with a high-fidelity physical simulator (90.1).

Creative Education, 14, 1217 to 1229, 2023

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Nursing education · 2022

Clinical decision-making

An eight-week study of 58 nursing students reported changes in clinical decision-making questionnaire scores after a course combining CyberPatient cases with faculty-led debriefing. The study had no control group.

Journal of Contemporary Medical Sciences, 8(1), 31 to 37, 2022

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Publication library

CyberPatient studies

Research on the platform itself

Enhancing medical training in conflict zones and remote areas through innovation: introducing the Canadian Virtual Medical University Initiative

eClinicalMedicine, part of The Lancet Discovery Science, 76, 102854, 2024

A four-week programme combining CyberPatient, Lecturio and faculty teaching improved knowledge scores and, for the 14 Level 2 students assessed, OSCE competency.

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Comparison of Knowledge Retention after the Use of a Virtual Patient versus a High-Fidelity Physical Simulator and Traditional Training

Creative Education, 14, 1217 to 1229, 2023

Randomized comparison of 143 students: virtual patient training retained knowledge as well as a high-fidelity simulator and better than bedside teaching.

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Teaching Clinical Decision-Making Skills to Undergraduate Nursing Students via Web-based Virtual Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A New Approach to The CyberPatient Simulator

Journal of Contemporary Medical Sciences, 8(1), 31 to 37, 2022

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Effectiveness of Video-assisted Debriefing Versus Standard Oral Debriefing Following Screen-based Simulation (CyberPatient) Training

Journal of Medical Education, 21(1), e127021, 2022

Compares video-assisted and oral debriefing after screen-based CyberPatient simulation training.

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CyberPatient: An Innovative Approach to Medical Education

Creative Education, 11(6), 926 to 941, 2020

Describes the platform's design and its educational approach.

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Comparison of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) versus traditional textbook methods for training in abdominal examination (Japanese experience)

Medical Education, 38(10), 1080 to 1088, 2004

Early comparison of computer-assisted instruction and textbook methods for learning abdominal examination.

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Student surveys

What students said, as distinct from measured outcomes

Kazan State Medical University Survey after the Use of CyberPatient during COVID-19

Creative Education, 11, 2153 to 2175, 2020

Students' own ratings after using CyberPatient during the pandemic; 89.9% rated its impact as high. A perception measure, not a clinical outcome.

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Medical students in Russia evaluate the training during the COVID-19 pandemic: a student survey

BMC Medical Education, 21, 560, 2021

Student survey on how training was experienced across Russian medical schools during the pandemic.

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Related research

Context from the same authors, not proof of CyberPatient's effectiveness

Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations

Journal of Medical Education, 22(1), e140890, 2023 issue, online January 2024

A perspective on AI in medical education. Context, not a CyberPatient outcome study.

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The Aspects of Running Artificial Intelligence in Emergency Care; a Scoping Review

Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine, 11(1), e38, 2023

Scoping review of how AI is being used in emergency care.

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Game-based vs. Case-based Training for Increasing Knowledge and Behavioral Fluency of Nurse Students Regarding Crisis and Disaster Management; a Quasi-Experimental Study

Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine, 10(1), e77, 2022

Quasi-experimental study of nurse training for crisis and disaster management.

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Talks and discussions