A young intern navigates the complexities of patient care in a unique setting, addressing the concerns of a first-time patient who presents with tingling sensations, dizziness, and unusual fatigue. The 35-year-old man’s symptoms could indicate multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, or various other central nervous system conditions. As the intern inquires about the patient’s history and reviews test results, the pressure to arrive at an accurate diagnosis mounts.
In this scenario, the intern consults with a nurse and an attending physician, whose block-like avatars populate the virtual environment. However, this isn’t a traditional hospital setting; rather, it is an innovative pre-med class at the University of Texas at Dallas, where students engage with the computer game Minecraft as part of their curriculum.
Experiential Learning Through Gaming
The course, titled Experiential Medical Reasoning, aims to equip aspiring medical professionals like 22-year-old Sahar Bavandi with the skills necessary to excel on the MCAT, the critical examination for medical school admission. Despite her initial unfamiliarity with Minecraft, Bavandi quickly adapted to the game, appreciating its ability to create a visual representation of hospital environments, equipment, and personnel.
“We have this patient in the ICU with the symptoms. What do we need?” Bavandi asked during a demonstration, recalling essential tools like oxygen masks. The game serves as a vital supplement to the pre-med experience, which traditionally lacks direct exposure to clinical settings.
Bavandi emphasized the importance of hands-on learning, stating, “You have to use the devices. So whenever we talk about a hematology analyzer, what’s that? Because you’ve been doing it, that’s how you remember it.”
Dr. Eric Kildebeck, the course instructor, played a pivotal role in developing this innovative program alongside his colleagues. “We built a virtual hospital in Minecraft, and the students can go in and make diagnostic decisions for patients, run lab tests, things like that,” he explained. “Until you’re actually there, exposed to stuff, you don’t really know what it is because you’re not allowed to go into the hospital and care for patients.”
This virtual hospital experience provides pre-med students with a more authentic understanding of a physician’s responsibilities and the tasks required for accurate patient diagnosis.
Omar Choudhry, a 24-year-old student, found the transition to this virtual learning environment seamless, having previously played Minecraft as a teenager. He noted how the game has enhanced his diagnostic skills, particularly when faced with a virtual patient exhibiting symptoms of multiple sclerosis. “There are going to be questions related to that. Now, if I were to get a question wrong, it’s going to tell me why it’s wrong and give me an explanation for that,” Choudhry remarked. “And then it’s going to tell me why the wrong ones were wrong to begin with, and give the correct version of that.”
This interactive approach to learning fosters a deeper understanding of medical concepts without the high stakes associated with traditional examinations. Choudhry expressed optimism about the benefits of this method, stating, “You can actually learn from it. It tells me exactly what I did wrong.”
As students like Choudhry prepare for the MCAT, Dr. Kildebeck has already observed significant improvements in their performance. “They do great on the tests,” he noted, reflecting on the course’s success in its inaugural year. Looking ahead, Kildebeck and his team are developing additional Minecraft-based games focused on biology and chemistry, further expanding the horizons of experiential medical education.
