Enhancing patient care for individuals affected by dementia by using immersive virtual reality and communication training to build empathy in future doctors.

Description

Supervisor to MClinEd student, achieving distinction for caliber of research (Manuscript in prep).

This mixed method study aimed to improve medical students’ skills and attitudes before placements in older people’s medicine, promoting compassionate, patient-centred dementia care. Students engaged in an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience, followed by a specialised communication workshop using validated models of dementia-focused communication and roleplay.
Students who took part in the training showed significant improved attitudes towards caring for people living with dementia compared to controls, and student reflections suggest that combining VR and specialised communication training enhances preparedness and empathy in clinical practice.

Period	1 Oct 2024 → …