CNN - whose budget for virtual world reporting has, apparently, not yet been cut - recently covered the training initiatives at Imperial College London.

Photo: Daneel Ariantho

According to the report, third-year medical students are engaged in “game-based” learning using Second Life as the conduit to virtually visit with patients, order X-rays, and access respiratory readings. There is no virtual surgery - at least not yet - as the learning is geared more towards hospital protocol and administrative duties.

“This sort of research is vital if we’re going to make sure tomorrow’s doctors are as well-trained as you and I want them to be,” Martyn Partridge, professor of respiratory medicine at Imperial College London, told CNN.

The game-like interface has made a new learning for students a little bit easier to swallow, even though, according to CNN, students would prefer face-to-face interactions.

“I’ve had two years of just lectures and books,” third-year medical student Khayam Sheikh told CNN. “I think this is a nice way to break it up.”

“It’s a bit like playing a game and less like learning,” agreed fellow student Jiexin Zheng.

The report also cites on CNN’s own iReport, a user-generated news site that reported on the Imperial College London startup a few months ago, and this report is located here.

Daneel Ariantho provides a tour.