How Mt. Sinai Transformed Genetics Graduate Medical Education with AI Roleplay
Summary
This case study highlights how Mt. Sinai partnered with Virtual Sapiens to enhance genetics graduate medical education through AI Roleplay. By integrating the Virtual Sapiens platform into trainee development, Mount Sinai created a scalable, interactive, and data-driven learning experience. The program empowered genetics trainees to build communication confidence, navigate emotional encounters, and improve cross-cultural competence demonstrating the transformative role of AI in clinical education and professional skill development.
Challenge
Genetics trainees face the dual challenge of explaining highly complex concepts and guiding families through emotional, often life changing conversations. Traditional training offers limited chances to repeatedly practice these skills in a safe, consistent way.
Solution
Mount Sinai partnered with Virtual Sapiens to introduce custom AI Roleplays as an innovative supplement to clinical training. This tool allowed trainees to practice difficult scenarios, from delivering genetic test results to navigating diverse cultural contexts, in a consequence-free environment and with the benefit of structured, on-demand feedback.
Results At A Glance
Measure Improvements Across Key Competencies:
- 24% improvement in confidence in telehealth patient rapport
- 12% improvement in awareness of nonverbal cues
- 15% improvement in comfort explaining WES/WGS
- 18% improvement in skill navigating emotional encounters
- 25% improvement in competence in cross-cultural communication
- 21% improvement in confidence discussing new born screening
In short, Headspace sought a way to preserve the human quality of coaching, while making training more scalable, consistent and efficient.
Feedback & Future Potential
The program was introduced halfway through the training cycle — meaning the positive results represent a conservative baseline. In the future, positioning the platform earlier on in a trainees learning journey would likely have even more positive impact and be included in the training flow more effectively.
Looking ahead:
- Earlier integration would allow skills to compound throughout the program.
- Enhancing AI realism will further strengthen a realistic simulation practice.
- The overwhelmingly positive hard results demonstrate that Ai-Roleplay is ready to scale as a core component of clinical education.