Simulated Virtual Patients vs Hospital Setting Teaching for Early Clinical Exposure in Anatomy: A Comparative Study

Background: Early clinical exposure (ECE) bridges theoretical anatomy with clinical practice.Traditional hospital-based teaching has been the standard but is limited by patient availability, variability in exposure, and logistical issues.Simulated virtual patients (SVPs) offer an alternative by providing standardized, interactive, and ethically sound clinical learning opportunities.This study compared the effectiveness of SVP-based learning with hospital-based ECE in anatomy, focusing on engagement, knowledge retention, clinical correlation, and confidence.Materials and methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among preclinical medical students randomly assigned to SVP or hospital exposure groups.Data were collected using structured questionnaires, pre-and post-session assessments, and qualitative feedback.Statistical analyses included the Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, and thematic analysis of open-ended responses.Results: Simulated virtual patient-based learning significantly improved student engagement (p = 0.002), knowledge retention (p = 0.001), and ability to correlate anatomy with clinical cases (p = 0.01861).Confidence levels were similar in both groups (p = 0.755).Qualitative feedback indicated that SVPs enhanced interactivity and visualization, whereas hospital exposure provided authentic patient interaction but with limited case diversity.Conclusions: Simulated virtual patients are effective in improving engagement, retention, and clinical application in anatomy education, though real patient exposure remains essential.A hybrid approach integrating SVPs with hospital-based learning is recommended for comprehensive training.