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| Virtual patient used to train medical students to do prostate exams |
(Scroll down for video) Doctors will now learn the correct way to enter a man’s prostate without being offensive and without the exam being too painful.
Is there a right and wrong way to do a butt exam? Apparently there is.
A new device will teach medical students how to do the exam the correct way.
The device works by having a robot’s prostarier connected to a computer screen with a virtual man named "Patrick," who is bent over a desk.
The device is designed to train budding physicians how to give a prostate exam, according to Dr. Benjamin Lok, the co-creator of the electronic device.
"The medical students talk to a virtual person and are able to practice their communication skills," Lok said.
The robot has sensors that can measure where the student is examining and the amount of pressure they are using.
This allows the system to provide a realistic encounter with the virtual patient including communication components and physical examinations.
The device even measures eye contact between the medical student and the virtual patient to help improve the bedside manners.
The robot’s prostarier is also equipped with force sensors that alert the student when he or she is pressing too hard.
The robot is currently used at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and at the University of Florida.