CASE STUDY
Pathfinder School of Innovation in Louisville, Kentucky uses Body Interact to deliver real-life patient simulation through remote, asynchronous learning, giving high school students a safe space to build critical thinking, explore healthcare careers and practize clinical decision-making at their own pace.
PATHFINDER SCHOOL OF INNOVATION
Health Science
CTE
Asynchronous Learning
Flipped Classroom
Career Exploration
COUNTRY
United States
CITY
Louisville, Kentucky
LEVEL
High School (Grades 9 to 12)
PROGRAM
CTE Health Science Education
PARTNER SINCE
2023
At Pathfinder, Body Interact solved a challenge no traditional tool could: bringing real-life clinical scenarios into a fully online, asynchronous classroom for students who cannot attend in person, turning the absence of a physical lab into a strength.
Critical Thinking
Career Exploration
Active Learning
Medical Terminology
THE CHALLENGE
REAL CLINICAL SCENARIOS IN AN ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE PROGRAM
Pathfinder School of Innovation serves students in grades 9 through 12 who face barriers that make attending regular in-person classes difficult or impossible, including medical and mental health disabilities, significant transportation or safety issues, and other circumstances requiring them to study from home.
For health science teacher Carissa Jury, RN, BSN, MSNML, CEN, the core question was: how can real-life patient simulation be integrated into an online, asynchronous program that meets every student where they are?
“Teenagers are always ‘well…maybe’ and Body Interact forces them to make a choice. Whether their decision is right or wrong, students need to make a choice and observe the immediate consequences.”
Carissa Jury, RN, BSN, MSNML, CEN
CTE Allied Health Teacher
Pathfinder School of Innovation
THE SOLUTION
BODY INTERACT AND THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM
Carissa uses a flipped classroom model: students work through Body Interact scenarios independently at their own pace, then come together in regular online meetings to review challenges, discuss decisions and receive guidance. This approach treats students as adults with clear responsibilities.
She begins the year with basic scenarios, allowing students to familiarize themselves with the platform, before progressively introducing intermediate cases. Advanced scenarios are occasionally used as a group challenge. Grading aligns with critical thinking experiences, oral and written presentations, not the platform’s global score, so students can explore and learn without fear of failure.
- Self-paced, asynchronous practice at home
- Progressive difficulty: basic, intermediate and advanced cases
- Medication Glossary used as a learning resource, not a prerequisite
- Even if a virtual patient “dies,” students keep learning
KEY BENEFITS
WHY BODY INTERACT WORKS FOR HEALTH SCIENCE EDUCATION
Critical Thinking and Problem-solving
High school students engage with life-like clinical scenarios, practicing decision-making under healthy time pressure. Students are required to make a choice, observe the immediate impact and reflect on it, building a crucial real-world skill.
Career Exploration
After completing scenarios, students discuss potential career paths based on the decisions they made. From medical specialties to laboratory and pharmacy careers, virtual patients are inspiring students to explore the full world of health science.
Active Learning
Body Interact promotes active learning by immersing students directly in hands-on practice. Students observe, discuss and repeat scenarios with peers, reinforcing knowledge through each session. The platform is both a game and a puzzle: students figure out the diagnosis and can reset and start over.
“Body Interact scenarios are both a game and a puzzle, as users need to figure out the diagnosis and always have the option to reset and start over. All of this occurs in a risk-free environment, a place where students can develop critical thinking without fear of exploring new approaches.”
Carissa Jury, RN, BSN, MSNML, CEN
CTE Allied Health Teacher
Pathfinder School of Innovation
RESULTS
LEARNING OUTCOMES AT PATHFINDER SCHOOL OF INNOVATION
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How does Pathfinder School of Innovation use Body Interact?
In a fully online, asynchronous health science program for grades 9 to 12. Teacher Carissa Jury begins with basic scenarios, progressively introduces intermediate cases and occasionally challenges students with advanced ones in group sessions. Grading is based on critical thinking, not the platform’s global score.
What challenge did Pathfinder face before using Body Interact?
The school needed to bring real-life patient scenarios into a program where students cannot attend in-person classes. Body Interact provided a way to simulate clinical scenarios, develop critical thinking and apply knowledge in a virtual, asynchronous setting.
Can Body Interact support career exploration for high school students?
Yes. After completing scenarios, students discuss potential career paths based on their decisions. With guidance from their teacher, they explore healthcare specialties, laboratory careers, pharmacy, research and more, helping them identify which areas they want to pursue.
