On April 10th, 2021, HCOP high school and undergraduate students took part in the very last virtual clinical immersion experience with the Body Interact™ virtual patient simulator of the HCOP Ambassador Program.
After five sessions, students are now quite well versed in how to utilize the Body Interact™ virtual patient simulator to envision their role as physicians. The session 15 case featured a young patient who dealt with fever and a history of acute rheumatic fever. During the weeks before and after the session, students also had the opportunity to review extra cases on their own through the Body Interact™ website or app.
During the virtual session, students were able to meet with the class instructor, Dr. John Stone, MD, PhD, who led students through the diagnosis and treatment of the virtual patient and gave students an inside look into the thought processes and procedures of a physician. Students were able to listen to the patient’s heartbeat, and were granted an explanation of the level of nuance doctors can identify in the sounds coming through a stethoscope. A small video of the heart was also shown, in which students were able to see the effects of bacterial infection on the heart’s valves. Students broke into groups to brainstorm ways this condition could damage the body and brought their thoughts and questions back to the whole group. The session ended with a Q & A segment where students asked great questions ranging from the pandemic, to preparation for medical school, to working in the medical field.
The Health Careers Opportunity Program’s partnership with Body Interact™ has been a successful and fruitful one, and the insight gained by students invaluable.