Education and Pedagogical Innovation through Virtual Patient Simulators in Health Sciences: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The Virtual Patient Simulator is considered a promising tool for delivering and enhancing medical knowledge and skills. The objective of this study is to examine the current state of knowledge regarding virtual patient simulators in teaching clinical case management within medical education. Specifically, it aims to identify trends in annual scientific production, educational contributions, practical implications, and opportunities for future research. A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, with searches performed in SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PubMed. The results address the following research questions: What is the annual trend in global scientific production on virtual patient simulators? What are the main educational contributions of studies addressing virtual patient simulators in the teaching of clinical case management in medical education? What practical implications do virtual patient simulators have in teaching clinical case management in medical education according to Latin American and global realities? What opportunities for future research are suggested by the findings? The study concludes that virtual patient simulations represent an innovative and effective resource for medical training, providing safe and controlled environments for clinical practice, with relevant practical implications in both global and Latin American contexts, and broad opportunities for future research.