Study Design
First, we conducted a questionnaire investigation to gain the perspectives of TCM students who have taken the PTC-IMTCM course. The final version of the VSP-TCM system was designed and developed based on the characteristics of TCM and the results of the questionnaire investigation [Flow diagram of the study. PTC-IMTCM: practical training course of internal medicine of traditional Chinese medicine; VSP-TCM: virtual standardized patient of traditional Chinese medicine; TCM: traditional Chinese medicine; Mini-CEX: mini-clinical evaluation exercise.