| Virtual patient cases are a valuable component of medical education informatics. The supporting literature is largely theoretical; there is a dearth of empirical research on (a) measurable outcomes and (b) components of effective virtual patient cases. Author guidelines, based on principles of pedagogy, cognition, and identification of technically relevant specifications, do not exist. This qualitative, multiple-case study developed and validated research-based, comprehensive, theory-grounded, and educationally relevant authoring guidelines. Nine faculty members at six medical schools, chosen for their expertise and leadership in medical education informatics, and experience in virtual patient case authoring, provided their own criteria for case design and reviewed the criterion-referenced guidelines generated for this study. Five of their cases were examined in relation to these guidelines. Access to the guidelines increased the number of design criteria cited as important. The validated guidelines can now be used to further research and development in medical education informatics and virtual patient cases. |
