"Virtual Reality Training Simulation - A Patient’s Point of View: Teaching Providers Teamwork and Empathetic Communication Skills via Immersive Perspective Taking, Interaction and Narrative Transport"

This paper will first seek to develop the pedagogical framework for message design in virtual reality, noting its potential for promoting education and empathy. I discuss relevant communications theory and practice; namely, cognitive elaboration, narrative transport, spatial presence, perspective taking and interactivity; and describe how virtual reality can uniquely combine these tools to effectively connect with and move audiences. After establishing this pedagogical foundation, this paper presents a virtual reality project that employs the tools discussed, with the goal of providing education that elicits empathy and improves providers’ empathetic communication with trauma patients.Master of Art