Scientific Research and Medicine in Second Life
David Pescovitz at BoingBoing had an interesting post about scientific research in Second Life, the virtual world:
This week’s Science News discusses several real scientific research projects inside Second Life. For example, Drexel University neurobiologist Corey Hart is building a virtual frog to study the neural pathways involved in hopping. Meanwhile, Robert Amme, a physicist at the University of Denver, is modeling a nuclear reactor as a training tool. Indeed, many research institutions are leveraging the simple sim tools of SL to create immersive science learning experiences.
This is a great example about how to close the gap between real science and the virtual world. You may also know about our medical exercises at the Ann Myers Medical Center where they train medical students (just like me) with case presentations. Now here is a tool with serious potential that could help us do it even better:
Text files, images and videos in one place. The aim is to create virtual patients with virtual medical conditions. Why is it beneficial for medical students?
The entire medical education is about case presentations. We move forward clinic by clinic during our studies and listen to case presentations all the time. That’s what we can do in Second Life but with even more educational material and without time or geographical restrictions.
According to DusanWriter, there are pharmacy patient case studies as well in Second Life.
The school has started to use SL as a training module, and has created a virtual version of Greensboro’s Moses Cone Family Practice Center, a local medical center. Students create an avatar and move through the center either as a student interviewing a patient, or as a patient. At the end of the simulation, the student takes a quiz to test his knowledge of the case history and of the practice center.
If you want to know everything about Second Life & Virtual Worlds for Academic Healthcare & Education, check out the slideshow of Patricia F. Anderson.
And if you don’t have a computer at home, let’s use a mobile to enter Second Life:
Further reading:
- Nature’s role in e-Science: Second Life conference LIVE
- Famous Scientific Bloggers in Second Life: LIVE
- Live Coverage: SciFoo lives on session about videos in science
- Live Coverage Now: SciFoo lives on session about the definition of Open Science
- SciFoo lives on in Second Life: Web 2.0 and Medicine
- SciFoo lives on: in Second Life
- Live Blogging Today: First Medical Simulation in Second Life!
- Everything about Second Life and Medical Education
- Genetics in Second Life
- Medical Training in Second Life
- Medicine in Second Life: virtual doctors, hospitals, and of course, sperm donation
- Virtual Medical Center: the Future of Medical Education
- Take Part in Constructing the Future of Medical Education: Join the Virtual Medical Center
- NHS London in Second Life
- Interview about the genetic revolution of Second Life
- Electronic Medical Records in a Virtual Hospital: Interview!
Berci,
Great aggregation of wonderful things! I loved the post today.
-Steve
I’m really glad, Steve, you liked it! I’m working on some more projects in Second Life that may also interest you. I will write about them soon.
There are also quite of lot of chemistry activities going on in Second Life.