Seton Hall Virtual Patient Clinic

The Live Avatar Experience lets you have a real-time conversation with an AI-powered patient avatar as part of your coursework. Each avatar represents a specific patient case, giving you a chance to practice interviewing, assessment, communication, and clinical decision-making without the pressure of a live patient interaction.

Your instructor may assign a specific scenario, or you may be able to choose from the available options depending on your course.

There are two ways to get started:

Through this portal — Log in with your Seton Hall credentials, pick a patient avatar, and hit Launch. Each avatar has its own patient case with supporting context you can review beforehand.

Through a direct link from your instructor — Many courses distribute links to specific scenarios through Canvas. If your instructor sent you a link, follow their instructions and use that scenario for the assignment.

Case information, assignment instructions, rubrics, and reflection prompts are provided by your instructor through Canvas. Check there before starting a session — most scenarios work best when you've reviewed the prep materials first.

Yes. Sessions have a maximum duration set by the platform administrator. A countdown timer is visible the entire time — it turns orange in the final two minutes and red in the final minute. You can also end a session at any time by clicking End Session.

If your session expires before you finish, check with your instructor about whether you can re-enter or try again.

It depends on the scenario, but most cases are built around one or more of these areas:

• Patient-centered communication
• History-taking and asking clarifying questions
• Empathy and active listening
• Medication adherence counseling
• Planning next steps and interprofessional awareness

Your instructor will typically indicate which competencies a given scenario is meant to address.

No downloads, no sign-ups. Everything runs in your browser. When you start a session, you'll be asked to grant microphone access — that's required. Camera is optional.

Chrome works best. Edge is also fine. Try to avoid Safari if you can.

A few things that make a noticeable difference:

• Find a quiet spot — background noise affects how well the avatar hears you
• Use headphones if you have them
• Make sure your internet connection is stable before starting
• Close any unused browser tabs or apps
• Speak clearly and at a normal pace

First, check that your microphone is connected and that your browser has permission to use it. You can usually find microphone permissions in the address bar or your browser settings. If there's a lot of background noise around you, try moving somewhere quieter. Make sure you're using an up-to-date version of Chrome or Edge.

If none of that helps, refresh the page and try relaunching the session.

Check your device volume and make sure your speakers or headphones are plugged in properly. Also confirm the browser tab isn't muted (right-click the tab to check). If the audio still isn't playing, refresh the page and relaunch.

This is usually a network issue. Closing other browser tabs, pausing any downloads, and moving closer to your router can all help. If you're on a shared or public network, performance may be inconsistent.

A transcript is generated automatically at the end of each session. You can read it, copy it, or download it as a text or JSON file. Check with your instructor about any documentation or reflection requirements for your course.

For questions about the assignment, your scenario, or access issues tied to your course, reach out to your instructor or department directly. For general technical issues, try refreshing the page and relaunching first — that resolves most problems. If it keeps happening, your instructor can escalate to the IHS Center for support.