SOPHIE: Standardized Online Patient for Healthcare Interaction Education (SOPHIE)

February 8, 2026 updated by: Ehsan Hoque, University of Rochester
This study evaluated an online simulation based educational program designed to improve clinician communication skills. Participants were clinicians and clinical trainees who completed simulated patient interactions and communication assessments as part of an educational evaluation. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either an AI based simulation training program or standard educational materials. Communication performance was assessed using standardized rating methods in simulated scenarios. The study did not involve patients or health related clinical interventions.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study was a randomized educational evaluation of an AI based online simulation training program designed to support the development of clinician communication skills. Participants included clinicians and clinical trainees who routinely engage in patient communication as part of their professional roles.

Participants were randomly assigned to either the SOPHIE simulation training program or a control educational condition consisting of standard instructional materials. All participants completed simulated patient encounters that were evaluated by trained standardized patients and expert raters using structured communication assessment tools.

The primary outcomes of interest focused on communication skill performance in simulated scenarios as well as participant feedback on the educational experience. The study did not involve real patients clinical care or health related interventions and was conducted as an educational research project.

The study was approved by the institutional review board prior to participant enrollment. It was registered retrospectively in ClinicalTrials.gov at the request of a journal during manuscript preparation.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
51

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New York
      • Rochester, New York, United States, 14620
        • University of Rochester

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Participants are clinicians or clinical trainees involved in patient communication as part of their professional or educational role
  • Age 18 years or older
  • Ability to participate in online educational activities and simulated patient encounters
  • Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior participation in this study
  • Inability to complete the required online activities or simulated encounters
  • Any condition that in the opinion of the investigator would interfere with participation or data quality

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: SOPHIE Simulation Training
Participants assigned to this arm completed an AI based online simulation training program designed to support the development of clinician communication skills. The training involved interactive virtual patient scenarios focused on communication practice in simulated clinical encounters.
Behavioral: SOPHIE Simulation Training
An online simulation based educational training program that uses interactive virtual patient scenarios to support the development of clinician communication skills in simulated clinical encounters.
Active Comparator: Control Educational Materials
Participants assigned to this arm completed standard educational materials related to clinician communication skills. These materials included instructional content such as videos and readings and did not involve interactive simulation training.
Behavioral: Control Educational Materials
Standard educational content related to clinician communication skills delivered through instructional materials such as videos and readings without interactive simulation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean Communication Performance Improvement Score in Simulated Patient Encounters
Time Frame: Immediately following completion of the assigned educational condition
Communication performance was assessed during simulated patient encounters using standardized rating instruments completed by trained standardized patients or expert reviewers. The mean communication performance score improvement was calculated for each participant and used to describe communication skills following the assigned educational condition.
Immediately following completion of the assigned educational condition

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Immediately following completion of the assigned educational condition
Time Frame: Immediately following simulated patient encounter
A structured communication skills rating tool was used to evaluate specific communication behaviors demonstrated during simulated patient encounters. The total communication skill rating score was calculated for each participant.
Immediately following simulated patient encounter
Mean Empathy Rating Score in Simulated Encounters
Time Frame: Immediately following simulated patient encounter
Empathy was assessed during simulated patient encounters using standardized empathy rating scales completed by trained evaluators. The mean empathy rating score was calculated for each participant.
Immediately following simulated patient encounter
Mean Participant Self Reported Confidence Score
Time Frame: Immediately following completion of the educational intervention
Participant confidence in communication skills was assessed using a self reported questionnaire administered after completion of the educational intervention. Mean confidence scores were calculated across questionnaire items.
Immediately following completion of the educational intervention
Mean Usability Score of the Educational Intervention
Time Frame: Immediately following completion of the educational intervention
Usability of the assigned educational intervention was assessed using a standardized usability questionnaire. Mean usability scores were calculated to describe participant experience with the intervention.
Immediately following completion of the educational intervention
Total Participant Satisfaction Score
Time Frame: Immediately following completion of the educational intervention
Participant satisfaction with the educational experience was assessed using a structured questionnaire. The total satisfaction score was calculated for each participant.
Immediately following completion of the educational intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Rochester

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
James P. Wilmot Cancer Center

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ehsan Hoque, PhD, University of Rochester

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 8, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 8, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 8, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • STUDY00006689

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Communication skill ratings of individual participants, as measured by expert standardized patients, will be made fully public. All data will be fully anonymized.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

03/01/2025 - Indefinitely

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

The data is publicly available on an online repository.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • ANALYTIC_CODE

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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