Seton Hall Professor Awarded National Grant to Use AI and Virtual Reality in Teaching Social Determinants of Health
核心洞察
Leslie A. Rippon, Ph.D., ATC, received a $26,000 research grant from the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (搜索) (ASAHP) for interprofessional research.
Rippon is one of two nationwide recipients of ASAHP's 2026 Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grants, which total $53,000 this year.
The project uses virtual reality simulation and AI-enabled virtual patients to teach students about social determinants of health (SDOH) that shape patient outcomes.
Leslie A. Rippon, Ph.D., ATC, associate professor in the Department of Athletic Training at Seton Hall University's School of Health and Medical Sciences (SHMS), has been awarded a $26,000 research grant from the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (搜索) (ASAHP). Rippon is one of only two recipients nationwide selected for ASAHP's 2026 Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grants, which total $53,000 this year. The awards support innovative research with strong potential to advance interprofessional collaboration across the health professions.
An Immersive Approach to Social Determinants of Health
Rippon's project, titled "Developing Student Readiness for Contemporary Healthcare Environments: An Interprofessional Cross-Institutional Approach to SDOH," uses virtual reality simulation to prepare students to address the social determinants of health that shape patient outcomes. The project builds on several years of Rippon's research combining two areas: using AI to create virtual patients and designing virtual environments that would be difficult to replicate in the physical world.
The grant will support the development and delivery of immersive programming that builds on Rippon's ongoing work with AI-enabled virtual patients, furthering Seton Hall's commitment to curricula that keep students professionally prepared for team-based care.
Fostering Empathy and Broader Perspectives
"Through this collaboration, I aim to enhance students' understanding of the social determinants of health by providing immersive, experiential learning opportunities that foster deeper engagement and empathy," Rippon said.
The project is designed to push students to look beyond their own frame of reference. "I hope this project provides students with an opportunity to reflect on their own perspectives while also exploring experiences that may differ significantly from their own," she continued. "By doing so, students can develop a broader understanding of the factors that shape health outcomes and learn to view patients through a more informed, empathetic and inclusive lens."
Advancing Interprofessional Education
The award reflects a broader emphasis on artificial intelligence and simulation across Seton Hall's health professions programs. Faculty across the School of Health and Medical Sciences have presented scholarship on AI-enabled virtual patients, simulation-based self-efficacy assessment, and AI-powered avatars in patient care training at national and international conferences this year.
Rippon will present her research at the 2027 ASAHP Annual Conference.