Virtual patient cases as a tool for continuous professional development in low-resource settings: opportunities and challenges

Background/objectives A central part of healthcare practise is the process of meeting patients, understanding their problems and suggesting how to solve them, which often is called Clinical Reasoning (CR). It is crucial to master this skill to be able to manage patient encounters in a professional way. CR if often trained and re-trained via continuous professional development (CPD) courses. However, CPD can often be hampered due to lack of time, need for travel to educational centres or by other reasons, especially in low-resource settings (LRS). Aims Virtual patient (VP) cases are increasingly recognized as effective tools for simulation-based healthcare education, yet their potential for continuous professional development (CPD) in low-resource settings remains underexplored. This paper aims to present, summarize and discuss experiences from more than 20 years of working with VP cases for training, including for CPD. Thus, the intention is to present cumulative ideas regarding curriculum implementation and pedagogical aspects on how VPs might be applied for CPD in LRSs. Possible methods and experiences VP cases represent a promising digital educational strategy capable of supporting healthcare education through realistic, interactive, and reflective learning experiences. This paper examines the opportunities and challenges of using VP cases to support CPD among healthcare professionals in resource-constrained environments. Drawing on current literature and implementation experiences from Rwanda, we explore how VP-based CPD might strengthen CR through interactive, reflective, and feedback-driven patient case simulations. Results and conclusions VP cases offer flexible, scalable, and learner-centred educational opportunities that may overcome barriers associated with conventional face-to-face CPD, including economic challenges, geographic isolation, and limited training resources. However, implementation is influenced by infrastructural limitations, contextual relevance, and sustainability considerations. We conclude that appropriately adapted VP cases may enhance CPD and support healthcare workforce development in low-resource settings.