TV News Shows Medical Students Using Second Life

Some days ago on ABC News on TV, there was a story about Second Life. Nova Southeastern University, has been using the virtual world as a training tool for it's medical students. The story came from a local station by Kristi Kruger, whom had reported on what the students were doing.

At the university's College of Osteopathic Medicine, students can use virtual patients to practice diagnostic skills, as well as communication with them. "The key to great health care is building a relationship, a partnership if you will, between the patient and physician, and -- the more comfortable and the better listener he is, the more relaxed, and the better that communication is -- the better the health care outcome is going to be," spoke Marti Echols, one of the university's teachers. The students can go to the virtual clinic "anytime, anywhere" to practice.

The university has also gotten a million dollar grant to use Second Life to help amputees (news story). Sandra Winker, a researcher and assistant professor at Nova's College of Health Care Services, was awarded the three year grant "in funding from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality to pursue her study. The project costs will be 100% financed with federal funds."

Amputees from all over the world will be able to join "a support group with no time or space limitations." As avatars can be made more or less into whatever appearance one wants, they will be able to choose whether or not their avatar is also missing a limb, or not. By going about Second Life, such as in the jet ski activities the news program showed, the virtual world will help them "regain their balance and mobility."

"Patients will be able to enter our virtual island and simulate what it is like to once again use their missing limbs," Winkler explained in the online article, "This has the possibility to make life better for so many amputees, and all they will need is an Internet connection."

Ms. Kruger had gotten her own avatar to help in reporting the story, calling the Second Life activities "A fun way to do some very serious learning and growing."

Nova Southeastern University has it's main campus located in Fort Lauderdale Florida. One can learn more about the school at: http://www.nova.edu/ .

Source: Local10.com , ABC News Charleston