A scoping review on the use of virtual patients for enhancing empathy in medical students

= 2, 10.5%). Five research gaps were identified: 1) lack of explicit definitions of empathy, 2) limited diversity in clinical scenarios, 3) absence of repeated virtual patient interventions, 4) limitations in assessment methods, and 5) insufficient evidence on the sustained outcomes of empathy. These findings offer important insights into the current state of medical education, where standardized curricula for empathy training remain underdeveloped. Future efforts should address these challenges by integrating virtual patients into instructional designs that effectively foster empathy in medical students. This review provides a foundation for developing and implementing educational programs that meet the needs of students seeking to enhance their empathic abilities and contribute to improved patient outcomes and prevent clinician burnout.