ACOM is proud to announce that The SIMps have won the AMSACon2021 Virtual Patient Challenge! The Virtual Patient Challenge is a unique national clinical competition hosted by the American Medical Student Association (AMSA). Student teams must use timely critical thinking skills in order to implement their diagnosis and treatment strategies, during timed virtual patient encounters.

Preliminary rounds of the challenge were held in mid-December with 16-22 teams from various medical schools across the country, including two ACOM teams. Four teams advanced to the championship round, held on March 6th. Both ACOM teams advanced to this final round and competed against two other teams from osteopathic colleges. Each team was given two virtual case scenarios to evaluate. Evaluations were completed after each round, followed by a debrief session with a physician to review and host a live Q&A. In the end, ACOM’s team, The SIMps, edged out the competition to clench its second consecutive title.

In order to make this virtual challenge possible, teams used Body Interact, a real-time medical simulator aimed at developing clinical reasoning and decision-making skills through 3d virtual patients. The simulation allowed the participants to work together as a healthcare team of three to communicate with the virtual patient to conduct assessments, monitor vital signs, order diagnostic exams, perform interventions, and administer medications. The cutting edge experience the students accessed through Body Interact aided in integrating knowledge in the most innovative way.

ACOM is not new to the AMSA Virtual Patient Challenge. During last year’s challenge, ACOM’s team Cotard’s Delutionals won the inaugural title, making this ACOM’s third national title along with the international title received in Paris in 2017. The college is extremely proud of all the students who participated, and extends our deepest congratulations to The SIMps