This week is Healthcare Simulation Week championed by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. The team behind PCS wanted to celebrate this week in a way that is truly aligned with the academic and professional mission of SSH, and contribute to the simulation community in a meaningful way.
Today, PCS is announcing a mini-grant for innovative simulation programs with a passion for cutting-edge technology (AI & Virtual Reality) and an aspiration to elevated their clinical interview training opportunities. Details below.
*The application period for this grant has now closed. We appreciate your interest and encourage you to apply for future opportunities.*
The PCS Research & Growth Division is announcing the Call for Applications for an AI in Healthcare Simulation Mini-Grant. PCS Research & Growth Div. will award a 1-year subscription of VERA PLUS ($9K) to support promising usage & studies of an AI-powered digital patient set in virtual reality to enhance non-technical (communication) skills teaching and practice.
December 31, 2019 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time (PST). Recipient notified of award January 19, 2020.
Virtual Reality (VR) has been used in medical education since 1965, with head-mounted displays (HMD) arriving to the scene in the late 1980s(1); however, VR applications have been primary reserved for surgical and anatomical fields of training. In recent years, VR has become a far more stable and cost-effective platform; thus, the use of virtual reality has both increased and expanded to include non-technical skills in health education over the past 10 years. Yet the use of VR simulators remains higher for technical skills training and to a far lesser extent for non-technical skills (cognitive and interprofessional skills). Few studies have measured the effects of VR simulation on non-technical skills development and even fewer studies systematic research(2).
PCS pioneers technology for training provider-patient communication skills. Built on the latest machine learning technologies, the PCS Communication Engine can realistically simulate a patient interview: learners can ask their questions naturally, unscripted and PCS verbally responds with scenario-specific answers. Within the domain of medical interviewing and typical healthcare professional interactions, the PCS Engine can successfully provide the reactions of a human patient, creating a new kind of practice and training experience.
Increase awareness, understanding and evidence-based literature about adopting virtual reality and AI in health education training for non-technical skills (such as provider-patient communications skills). Methodologically sound simulation-based usage and projects using quantitative, qualitative or hybrid approaches are encouraged.
To maximize the mini-grant, PCS Research & Growth Div recommends an ideal use commitment of 80 minutes of clinical interviewing per month (12 sessions total). Also, participation in a pre & post experience survey of approximately 12 questions per quarter (approximately 15 minutes maximum per survey every 3 months) is required.
Submit your application through the PCS Online Application form.
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