Virtual patients train doctors to communicate better
NCT ID NCT07409233
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested an online program called SOPHIE that uses virtual patient scenarios to help clinicians improve their communication skills. 51 clinicians and trainees were randomly assigned to either the simulation training or standard educational materials. Their communication performance was then assessed in simulated encounters. The study did not involve real patients or medical treatments.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- SOPHIE Simulation Training (online virtual patient scenarios)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a scalable, low-cost way to train clinicians in communication skills without needing real patients.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage educational study with only 51 participants. It measures simulated performance, not real-world patient outcomes, so benefits may not translate to actual clinical care.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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51 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jun 2024
- Finished
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Jan 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Participants are clinicians or clinical trainees involved in patient communication as part of their professional or educational role * Age 18 years or older * Ability to participate in online educational activities and simulated patient encounters * Ability to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Prior participation in this study * Inability to complete the required online activities or simulated encounters * Any condition that in the opinion of the investigator would interfere with participation or data quality
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Rochester
Rochester, New York, 14620, United States