Body Interact at SPSim 2025
From April 3rd to 5th, the vibrant city of Porto played host to the 2025 Congress of the Sociedade Portuguesa de Simulação Aplicada às Ciências da Saúde (SPSim). This year’s theme, “Investing in Simulation and Promoting Health”, set the tone for three days filled with innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment to transforming healthcare education.
Among the many highlights of the event, Body Interact proudly marked its presence – bringing fresh energy to the congress with the official debut of its new mascot and a highly engaging workshop focused on the power of virtual patients.
A Hands-On Dive into Virtual Patient Simulation
Body Interact’s workshop was a standout moment, led by two renowned educators in the field: Professor Leila Sales and Professor Inês Bento from the Portuguese Red Cross Higher School of Health in Lisbon. Together, they conducted a dynamic and interactive session designed to provide participants with an in-depth understanding of simulation-based learning using virtual patients.
The workshop started with a brief overview of healthcare simulation and the various resources currently available. The discussion soon centered on virtual patients – particularly Body Interact, an innovative and adaptable tool that enables learners to build clinical reasoning and decision-making skills in a psychologically safe setting.
Professors Sales and Bento emphasized the practical benefits of this approach, especially in creating realistic scenarios where learners can engage deeply without fear of harming real patients.
Team-Based Challenge and Platform Exploration
In the second half of the session, participants were introduced to the Body Interact platform itself. After a brief walkthrough of its features, the group worked together to resolve a clinical case scenario in real-time—a lively and collaborative experience that set the tone for what came next.
The workshop culminated in a friendly competition: participants were divided into three teams, each tackling a clinical scenario with the aim of achieving the highest score. The exercise brought out both the competitive spirit and the collaborative energy of the group, reinforcing key learning points in a fun and memorable way.
A 100% Positive Experience
At the conclusion of the workshop, attendees had the opportunity to share feedback. With 100% satisfaction and full engagement reported, it’s clear that the session resonated deeply with participants.
For Body Interact, this workshop was not only a chance to showcase the power of virtual patient simulation but also a moment to connect with healthcare professionals, educators, and innovators.
