Think of the Patient Concept as the script behind the simulation - just like the materials you’d provide to a standardized patient (SP).
Everything you include in the Patient Concept is known to the avatar. Anything not explicitly included will be left to the AI to fill in with plausible but potentially inconsistent responses. To ensure consistent behavior, all key details must be provided in the Patient Concept.
What Is the Patient Concept For?
It organizes information about the patient’s condition, symptoms, medical history, social background, and personality.
It controls what the AI avatar knows and how it responds during simulation.
It helps ensure learners encounter a realistic, coherent patient every time.
Each section of the Patient Concept form includes an info bubble with guidance on what kind of content to include.
Using and Editing the Patient Concept
Once you’ve copied an existing patient as your own, on the Patient Concept tab, you can:
Reuse or adapt sections of their Patient Concept. Just click into any of the textboxes to edit or completely rewrite the section. Hover over the icon to learn more about what each section entails.
Or, delete everything and start from scratch.
This flexibility allows you to create new cases efficiently while tailoring them to your educational goals.
Tips for Writing an Effective Patient Concept
✅ Be specific about key facts the patient should consistently share (e.g., dates, symptoms, medications)
❌ Don’t assume human logic. AI won’t deduce that someone born 15 years ago is now 15. Spell it out.
✅ Use plain language. If the Patient Concept is full of medical terms, the AI will speak like a healthcare professional.
✅ Describe the avatar’s appearance. The AI doesn’t know what the on-screen character looks like unless you tell it.
✅ Test before deploying. Use the Conversation Tester (buttons on the right side) to preview how your patient will respond before launching the simulation.
