The Interactive Ethics Case Simulations (iEthiCS) project has created a novel, state-of-the-art ethics virtual patient scenario that has the potential to revolutionise medical ethics education in the UK and abroad for both staff and students, at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Educationally flexible, easy-to-use, and fun, this high-tech video case has set the gold standard for the delivery of realistic case-based and clinically contextualised ethics and law education. The transition from text to interactive video format has added considerably to the realism of the case and the educational experience of students.
It is envisaged that this case will be used in medical schools, hospitals, conferences, and medical associations throughout the world as a superior alternative to the current practice of presenting a static case for discussion on a piece of paper or a PowerPoint slide.
As medical ethics and law become increasingly embedded in medical curricula, the demand for an interactive tool like the iEthiCS case is increasing, and this project is definitely a sparkling jewel in the St George’s crown.
The aim of the Interactive Ethics Case Simulations (iEthiCS) project is to facilitate the teaching and learning of medical ethics and law by developing video cases that will provide healthcare students and clinicians with hyper-realistic, interactive medical ethics training.
The specific objectives of the iEthiCS project were to:
- Professionally script, test, and produce an interactive video virtual patient (VP) based on an existing do not attempt resuscitation (DNAR) case.
- Create suitable tutor and student guides to assist with the use of the VP for teaching and learning in different contexts within medical and healthcare education.
- Release the final VP and associated guides to the wider community under an appropriate open Creative Commons licensing model.
- Disseminate the use of the VPs and associated guides to the wider community by presenting at conferences, publishing in scholarly newsletters and journals, and via the project website.
- To investigate the use of social networking tools and electric polling systems to enhance the interactivity of virtual patient scenarios.