Simulation for PT & PTA education

Clinical reasoning,
made visible.

Meet the patient. Follow the evidence. Build a plan.

simLAB brings AI patient encounters, differential diagnosis, interactive learning labs, and faculty-led classes into one connected clinical learning environment.

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simLAB

PART OF DEVPT

simLAB / meet JamesOpen scene ↗
James wants to get back to his Saturday walking group. Follow his visit, from the first question to the next step.

One patient story.
Room to practice the whole visit.

ONE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Patient encounters Reasoning maps Live classes Learning labs

Inside the simulator

One patient.
The whole clinical story.

Meet James, hear his story and watch his examination. Connect the findings, build a plan, then explore the science in simLAB’s study tools.

A GUIDED SIMLAB WALKTHROUGH Open full view

Scripted case demonstration · explore freely · no sign-in required

A case to follow. A lab to explore.

Open a study tool whenever a finding makes you curious. James’s visit stays with you when you come back.

For students

A clinical visit,
with room to think.

Practice through instructor-selected cases. Carry the findings forward, make a defensible decision, and reflect on what you would do next.

  1. 01

    Understand

    Read the chart. Hear the patient's story. Decide what needs a closer look.

  2. 02

    Investigate

    Choose your exam, record the findings, and connect the evidence to your differential.

  3. 03

    Act

    Document your reasoning. Build a plan and communicate with the care team where the case calls for it.

  4. 04

    Reflect

    Review feedback and discuss the decisions that should guide your next attempt.

Integrated learning labs

Explore the science
behind the findings.

Step into focused, interactive teaching spaces for movement, anatomy, neurologic function, and physiology. Build understanding alongside case practice.

01 / MOVEMENT

A clear teaching baseline.

Whole-body demonstrations, examination adaptations, hands, instruments and controlled playback.

Body and examination 02 / JOINT MECHANICS

Bones. Capsule. Technique.

Hip, knee, ankle and foot; reference layers, bone shapes, and synchronized manual-technique views.

Explore joint mechanics 03 / EYE EXAMINATIONS

See the finding unfold.

A patient examination and synchronized eye close-up, with vestibular demonstrations and native playback.

Explore eye examinations 04 / NEURO

Follow the signal.

Bedside stimulus, neural anatomy, sensory endings and lesion placement in one workspace.

Explore Neuro 05 / AQUATIC THERAPY

Change the environment.

Immersion and dose controls, pool movement, and model-derived physiologic responses.

Explore Aquatic 06 / LIVE VITALS

Watch the response.

Authored patient profiles, posture, effort and time, with the program’s actual readings and trends.

Explore Live Vitals

Learning labs use educational models. Anatomy and imaging tools are also available within the clinical workspace.

For faculty

Teach the decisions.
See the thinking.

Bring simLAB into a live class or schedule case work for your learners. Keep the context, the evidence, and the teaching conversation together.

  • Organize your teachingManage groups, choose scenarios, and schedule practice or graded case work.
  • See the reasoningReview attempt records and class patterns to identify what deserves discussion.
  • Keep faculty judgment centralReview or enter grades and guide the debrief. Native DDx cases support formative feedback without an automatic score.
Walk through the faculty experience

YOUR CLASS. YOUR CASE. YOUR DEBRIEF.

Current simLAB faculty workspace with class scheduling and learner managementEnlarge

Faculty workspace shown with demonstration data.

Beyond the classroom

Built to ask
better questions.

DevPT's research direction connects clinical reasoning, educational feedback, and 3D symptom mapping. Collaborate on questions about practice, assessment, and the evidence behind learning.

Discuss a research collaboration
DEVPT / PAINMAP

More than a single pain score.

Explore 3D symptom mapping and the development of visual profiles of symptom location, spread, intensity, and change over time.

Explore PainMap

Measurement and educational outcomes remain research questions; these tools are not presented as validated outcome measures.

Let's bring it into your program

See simLAB
in context.

Walk through a patient case, a live class, and the learning labs. We'll discuss where simLAB could fit your PT or PTA curriculum.

Request a program demo daniel.j.stone@und.edu
Educational background & research references

These publications inform the broader educational context. They are not evaluations of simLAB.

  1. Cook DA, et al. Technology-enhanced simulation for health professions education. JAMA. 2011. PubMed
  2. Simulated patients in physical therapy education: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Physical Therapy. 2016. PubMed
  3. Plackett R, et al. Virtual patient educational tools and clinical reasoning skills: a systematic review. BMC Medical Education. 2022. Full text
Selected simLAB screenshot