| Title | EMPATH-AI: Generative AI for Enhancing Empathy and Communication Skills in Pharmacy Education |
|---|---|
| Faculty/College/Unit | Pharmaceutical Sciences |
| Status | Active |
| Duration | 2 Year |
| Initiation | 04/01/2025 |
| Project Summary | This project aims to create a web-based empathetic communication simulation platform for pharmacy students, addressing the critical need for empathy practice in healthcare education. Despite its importance for patient-centred care and professional identity development, empathy is not a core competency in our curriculum for later years, as students lack opportunities to practice these skills with actual patients. The platform will simulate challenging conversations through the use of mock telehealth encounters with virtual patients created with generative AI tools. Students will engage with videos of patient journeys and virtual profiles, enhancing their understanding of patients' medical complexities. Telehealth scenarios will provide realistic student-patient interactions. Our goal is to foster profound empathy skills in future pharmacists through this innovative approach. By improving understanding of patient perspectives, we aim to enhance the quality of patient care and contribute to better health outcomes in the community, ultimately addressing a universal challenge in healthcare. |
| Funding Details | |
| Year 1: Project Year | Year 1 |
| Year 1: Funding Year | 2025/2026 |
| Year 1: Project Type | Large TLEF |
| Year 1: Principal Investigator | Colleen Inglis |
| Year 1: Funded Amount | 91,215 |
| Year 1: Team Members | Colleen Inglis, Assistant Professor, Pharmacy and Practice Innovation Portfolio, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences |