International Journal of Healthcare Simulation

Background and aim:

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, where access to traditional simulation environments and experiences was necessarily restricted, increasing focus has been placed on the use of technology in simulation. The use of virtual patient simulations has been shown in literature to increase interest as well as provide opportunities to practice clinical reasoning [1]. Opportunities to develop clinical reasoning are of notable importance in undergraduate pharmacy education currently owing to ongoing changes in pharmacy education, where newly qualified pharmacists will be annotated as independent prescribers from 2026 [2]. Evidence on the extent to which views on the perceived uses and benefits of virtual simulation align between different user groups is limited. In a UK university, a programme of virtual simulation has been utilized since 2020 as a part of the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. A mixed-methods study was run which aimed to evaluate the alignment of views of students, faculty and stakeholders (who were individuals involved in the design or implementation of virtual simulation products) on the potential uses, intended learning outcomes, and perceived benefits and weaknesses of virtual simulation.

Methods:

Following approval by the school research ethics committee, an electronic questionnaire was sent to final-year undergraduate pharmacy students who had experienced a programme of virtual simulation including a mixture of qualitative and quantitative questions relating to student perceptions of the use of virtual simulation in the curriculum. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with faculty members and stakeholders exploring their views on virtual simulation. Quantitative data were analysed by simple descriptive statistics, and a critical review of free-text responses was performed through grounded theory to identify emergent key themes.

Results:

A total of 25 responses to student questionnaires were received. A total of seven interviews were performed, including three members of academic staff familiar with virtual simulation and four stakeholders responsible for the design or implementation of virtual simulation products. Students most commonly believed that virtual simulation could benefit their development of consultation skills, clinical history taking and physical assessment. Significant alignment between the perceptions of stakeholders and students on the uses and benefits of virtual simulation was demonstrated, but faculty members articulated a more limited list of perceived uses and benefits.

Conclusion:

The views of final-year undergraduate pharmacy students aligned strongly with stakeholders involved in the design or implementation of virtual simulation. The more limited views of faculty may represent a barrier to the full implementation of virtual simulation.

Ethics statement:

Authors confirm that all relevant ethical standards for research conduct and dissemination have been met. The submitting author confirms that relevant ethical approval was granted, if applicable.