Intimate procedures such as breast exams, while a routine and critical part of medical care, are notoriously tough to teach. Medical students practice on disembodied prosthetics but have limited opportunities to practice exams on real people — especially patients who have an abnormality. In a collaboration with the Augusta, Ga.-based Medical College of Georgia and three other universities, UF engineers have crafted a solution: a hybrid computer/mannequin that helps train students not only how to correctly perform a breast exam — but also how to talk to, and glean information from, the patient during the procedure. The project is important because correct examinations and good doctor-patient communication are critical to successful medical treatment. Studies have shown that communication skills are actually a better predictor of outcome than medical skills. With the virtual patient, students have to not only practice their technique, but they also have to work on their empathy. The mixed reality human, named Amanda Jones, ‘talks’ to students, and they respond via a computer speech and voice recognition system. Her physical form is immobile, but her virtual representation, created by the engineers, moves and speaks from a large flat screen above her physical body. Students can also view Jones through a head-mounted display.
The interaction is unscripted, but it follows a typical pattern for a woman’s visit and examination with both verbal and tactile challenges for the medical students. The student must tease out Jones’ medical history, listen to her concerns and respond to her questions. Just as in a real exam, this interaction occurs simultaneously with the physical examination. For that, the student must use the correct palpitating technique and apply the proper pressure. Sensors within the prosthetic breast provide pressure information depicted by colors on the virtual breast, guiding students in the exams. The engineers can program the system to include or exclude an abnormality — and the attendant conversation. It sounds awkward, and to be sure, the speech recognition element has its hiccups. But especially for students reared in an era of sophisticated 3D video games, the system turns out to be surprisingly convincing. The researchers have tested it on about 100 medical students from the Medical College of Georgia and one of their most consistent and prominent findings: Students do not hesitate to express empathy to Jones. A pilot study has concluded that students who practiced with a mixed realty human improved their communication skills and their technical abilities, but more trials are needed to determine whether those skills persist once the students examine real patients.
More information:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090623143054.htm
The interaction is unscripted, but it follows a typical pattern for a woman’s visit and examination with both verbal and tactile challenges for the medical students. The student must tease out Jones’ medical history, listen to her concerns and respond to her questions. Just as in a real exam, this interaction occurs simultaneously with the physical examination. For that, the student must use the correct palpitating technique and apply the proper pressure. Sensors within the prosthetic breast provide pressure information depicted by colors on the virtual breast, guiding students in the exams. The engineers can program the system to include or exclude an abnormality — and the attendant conversation. It sounds awkward, and to be sure, the speech recognition element has its hiccups. But especially for students reared in an era of sophisticated 3D video games, the system turns out to be surprisingly convincing. The researchers have tested it on about 100 medical students from the Medical College of Georgia and one of their most consistent and prominent findings: Students do not hesitate to express empathy to Jones. A pilot study has concluded that students who practiced with a mixed realty human improved their communication skills and their technical abilities, but more trials are needed to determine whether those skills persist once the students examine real patients.More information:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090623143054.htm