Table 3 Example of the relationship between the questions in the interview guide and the main categories

What are the possibilities and limitations of simulation with virtual patients?

1. The importance of recognizing the students’ vulnerability

2. The responsibility of the facilitation in the virtual simulation sessions

“The students made themselves vulnerable, and threw themselves into the unknown—and they mastered it! I really applaud them for that.”

“I like that the focus is mainly on the process where one stops and dwells on ‘What does it mean when the inhalation or the exhalation has a stridor sound?’ or ‘What exactly is blood pressure and what role does blood pressure have in the circulation system?’ or ‘What does it mean when blood pressure drops?’ You get the opportunity to systematize your knowledge and puzzle it together, which I find very exciting in the immersive simulation.”

What are the strengths or weaknesses in the redesigned clinical course?

3. The value of promoting students’ preparedness for future patient encounters

“We have talked about how to palpate and to inspect—and it is obvious that they (the students) will not get the same impression as they would in real-life patient encounters and therefore lack the opportunity to perform the clinical skills ‘hands on.’ We cannot replace that even if we talk about it.”

Thinking about your own digital literacy: Has it changed after the participation in the redesigned clinical course, and if so, how?

4. The need for more and new pedagogical competence

“Participating was useful to gain insight about what the students really know when they participate in a simulation like this. I think that you get a good impression of the students’ performance through the virtual simulation.”