Ignacio Villagran

Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

23 publications 2018 – 2026 ORCID

Research Overview

Ignacio Villagran researches how remote and asynchronous training methods can teach clinical procedural skills effectively without requiring in-person instructors. His work spans simulation-based education for procedures like suturing, paracentesis, laparoscopy, and airway suctioning, consistently showing that students training remotely with video-based feedback perform as well as or better than those in traditional workshops. He also investigates how AI and large language models can be applied to surgical training, assessment automation, and medical licensing exams.

Publications

Remote Simulation as a Training Method for Artificial Airway Suctioning Technique.

2026

Respiratory care

García-Valdés P, Rammsy F, Fuentes J, Torres G, Quilaleo C +7 more

Plain English
Physiotherapy students learned airway suctioning technique through a four-week remote simulation program using a 3D-printed airway model and video-based instructor feedback, without any in-person contact. By the end of training, students' procedural scores matched expert performance on standardized assessment. This shows remote simulation can reliably build competency in a high-stakes clinical procedure.

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Co-creation of a fit-for-purpose Feedback Toolkit for clinical clerkships.

2026

Medical teacher

Fuentes-Cimma J, Sluijsmans D, Rammsy F, Villagran I, Isbej L +2 more

Plain English
Researchers co-designed a feedback toolkit with clinical teachers and students for use during physiotherapy internships, testing it over seven weeks. The toolkit—built around podcasts, infographics, and Mini-CEX forms—helped structure ongoing feedback between teachers and students in a more consistent way. The process demonstrated that involving end users directly in designing educational tools produces materials that are actually used in practice.

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Evaluating GPT-4o in high-stakes medical assessments: performance and error analysis on a Chilean anesthesiology exam.

2025

BMC medical education

Altermatt FR, Neyem A, Sumonte NI, Villagrán I, Mendoza M +2 more

Plain English
GPT-4o was tested on 183 questions from Chile's national anesthesiology board exam across 30 simulation runs. It scored 83.7% overall, with strongest performance on recall and comprehension questions but weaker performance on application and analysis tasks. The most common errors were unsupported medical claims, highlighting that AI systems still struggle with complex clinical reasoning before they can be trusted in high-stakes settings.

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Quality matters: Artificial intelligence-based assessment of feedback quality predicts technical skill improvement.

2025

Surgery

Kewalramani D, Roman DS, Lagos SA, Rammsy F, Villagran I +7 more

Plain English
Medical students performed simulated paracentesis procedures, received instructor feedback scored by an AI tool called Teach1, then attempted the procedure again. Higher AI-rated feedback quality strongly predicted larger skill improvements, with each 10% increase in feedback quality corresponding to a 1.16-point score gain. This proves that feedback quality—not just quantity—drives skill development, and that AI can reliably identify which feedback is actually effective.

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Multimodal Assessment in Clinical Simulations: A Guide for Moving Towards Precision Education.

2025

Medical science educator

Schwengel D, Villagrán I, Miller G, Miranda C, Toy S

Plain English
This paper provides a practical guide for educators wanting to use multimodal assessment in simulation-based medical training, where data from multiple sources (video, sensors, performance metrics) are combined to evaluate learners. The guide offers a structured checklist to help researchers plan these assessments and anticipate common implementation pitfalls. Combining data streams gives a richer picture of learner performance than any single measure alone.

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Performance of single-agent and multi-agent language models in Spanish language medical competency exams.

2025

BMC medical education

Altermatt FR, Neyem A, Sumonte N, Mendoza M, Villagran I +1 more

Plain English
GPT-4o was tested on 1,062 multiple-choice questions from Chile's medical licensing exam using both single-agent and multi-agent AI strategies. The multi-agent approach called MDAGENTS achieved the highest accuracy at nearly 90%, significantly outperforming simpler strategies. For most exam questions, however, simpler single-agent methods were sufficient—meaning complex multi-agent setups add meaningful value only for the hardest questions.

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Psychometric properties of the Feedback Orientation Scale in the clinical workplace of health professions students.

2025

International journal of medical education

Fuentes-Cimma J, Sluijsmans D, Perez-Mejias P, Villagran I, Riquelme A +1 more

Plain English
Researchers adapted and validated a Spanish-language version of the Feedback Orientation Scale for use with 510 health professions students at six Chilean universities. The scale reliably measured how students perceive and use feedback in clinical training, with the lowest scores appearing on questions about confidence in handling feedback. This validated tool lets educators identify which students may struggle to act on feedback and tailor interventions accordingly.

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Innovation Meets Practice: A Scalable Simulation-based Methodology for Massive Paracentesis Training.

2025

Gastroenterology

Figueroa Ú, Jarry C, Inzunza M, Montero I, Garrido F +5 more

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Improving Medical Student Performance With Unsupervised Simulation and Remote Asynchronous Feedback.

2024

Journal of surgical education

Varas J, Belmar F, Fuentes J, Vela J, Contreras C +8 more

Plain English
Third-year medical students were trained in thoracentesis and paracentesis using either an unsupervised remote simulation program with asynchronous video feedback or a two-hour in-person workshop. Students in the remote group achieved significantly higher passing rates on both procedures (80% vs. 43% for thoracentesis; 91% vs. 67% for paracentesis). Asynchronous feedback allows students and instructors to work at their own pace without sacrificing—and in this case improving—skill acquisition.

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A do it yourself (DIY) point-of-care wrist ultrasound phantom for joint access training.

2024

The ultrasound journal

Cheng A, Zhou J, Chan CHR, Chen C, Cheng C +7 more

Plain English
The study developed a low-cost, DIY ultrasound-compatible wrist phantom for training joint aspiration using 3D-printed bones embedded in gelatin. The model accurately reproduces the ultrasound appearance of wrist anatomy and can be remade after each practice session to eliminate needle tracks. This gives clinical simulation centers a replicable, affordable alternative to expensive commercial trainers for a procedure that is performed infrequently.

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Designing feedback processes in the workplace-based learning of undergraduate health professions education: a scoping review.

2024

BMC medical education

Fuentes-Cimma J, Sluijsmans D, Riquelme A, Villagran I, Isbej L +2 more

Plain English
A scoping review of 61 studies examined how feedback is organized in undergraduate clinical training settings. Multiple teaching and assessment activities generate feedback, but very few studies tracked whether that feedback actually improved performance over time. The review concludes that productive feedback requires a supportive culture, stable teacher-student relationships, and deliberate planning of follow-up learning opportunities.

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Taking advantage of asynchronous digital feedback: development of an at-home basic suture skills training program for undergraduate medical students that facilitates skills retention.

2023

Global surgical education : journal of the Association for Surgical Education

Belmar F, Gaete MI, Durán V, Chelebifski S, Jarry C +8 more

Plain English
Fourth-year medical students learned basic suturing at home using instructional videos, unsupervised practice, and expert feedback on uploaded videos within 72 hours. Final assessment scores (median 24/25) were significantly higher than published benchmarks for in-person expert feedback and video-only learning, and skill retention held at six months. Home-based deliberate practice with asynchronous digital feedback is a viable and effective way to train procedural skills.

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Innovations in surgical training: exploring the role of artificial intelligence and large language models (LLM).

2023

Revista do Colegio Brasileiro de Cirurgioes

Varas J, Coronel BV, Villagrán I, Escalona G, Hernandez R +6 more

Plain English
This paper reviews how AI and large language models are being used in surgical training, covering simulation assessment, virtual and augmented reality platforms, and automated feedback generation. Key opportunities include personalizing feedback and scaling training access across institutions. Remaining challenges include AI accuracy, bias, privacy concerns, and integrating these tools into existing surgical curricula.

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Remote, asynchronous training and feedback enables development of neurodynamic skills in physiotherapy students.

2023

BMC medical education

Villagrán I, Rammsy F, Del Valle J, Gregorio de Las Heras S, Pozo L +6 more

Plain English
Physiotherapy students completed a four-session remote training program for upper limb neurodynamic testing, uploading performance videos for instructor feedback after each session. Students reached the target performance standard by session two on checklist measures and session three on rubric scores. Two to three remote sessions are sufficient to develop this clinical skill, making the approach a practical option when in-person training is unavailable.

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Artificial intelligence in laparoscopic simulation: a promising future for large-scale automated evaluations.

2023

Surgical endoscopy

Belmar F, Gaete MI, Escalona G, Carnier M, Durán V +7 more

Plain English
An AI algorithm was trained to assess whether students passed or failed basic laparoscopic simulation exercises by analyzing video footage of two tasks. Agreement with expert evaluators was 79.7% for one task and 93% for the other. These results demonstrate that AI can automate assessment of surgical simulation training at a level approaching expert agreement, addressing the bottleneck of scarce trained evaluators.

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Remote and asynchronous training network: from a SAGES grant to an eight-country remote laparoscopic simulation training program.

2023

Surgical endoscopy

Gaete MI, Belmar F, Cortés M, Alseidi A, Asbun D +7 more

Plain English
A remote laparoscopic simulation training program was scaled from one institution to 14 centers across eight Latin American countries, with no on-site instructors required. Between 2019 and 2022, 369 trainees completed the program, generating nearly 6,800 training videos with instructor feedback delivered entirely through a digital platform. This model proves that high-quality procedural training can be distributed at scale using only a few trained remote instructors and a digital platform.

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Spanish version of the readiness for interprofessional learning scale (RIPLS) in an undergraduate health sciences student context.

2022

Journal of interprofessional care

Villagrán I, Jeldez P, Calvo F, Fuentes J, Moya J +6 more

Plain English
Researchers translated and validated the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale into Spanish for use with health sciences students in Chile across six universities. The scale showed good reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.86) and was sensitive to changes after interprofessional workshops. This gives Spanish-speaking health education programs a validated tool for measuring whether students are prepared to learn alongside colleagues from other disciplines.

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Interactive virtual scenarios as a technological resource to improve musculoskeletal clinical reasoning skills of undergraduate physiotherapy students.

2022

Physiotherapy theory and practice

Torres G, Villagrán I, Fuentes J, Araya JP, Jouannet C +1 more

Plain English
Ninety-two physiotherapy students worked through eight interactive virtual clinical scenarios to develop musculoskeletal diagnostic reasoning skills. Error rates on pattern recognition dropped significantly from the first to last scenario, with students 2.6 times more likely to correctly identify the clinical pattern by the end. Virtual scenarios allow students to repeatedly practice diagnostic reasoning in a safe environment that traditional case-based teaching does not provide.

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Biomechanical analysis of expert anesthesiologists and novice residents performing a simulated central venous access procedure.

2021

PloS one

Villagrán I, Moënne-Loccoz C, Aguilera V, García V, Reyes JT +6 more

Plain English
Biomechanical motion data was collected from seven expert and seven novice anesthesiologists performing simulated central venous access. Experts completed the procedure faster with higher hand speed and acceleration, and these differences varied depending on the procedure stage and which hand was used. These objective biomechanical differences can be used to define specific training targets and track novice progression toward expert-level performance.

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[Teaching innovation in an undergraduate theoretical medicine course].

2020

Revista medica de Chile

Böhm P, Soffia A, Díaz LA, Villagrán I, Pizarro M +3 more

Plain English
A medical school gastroenterology course was redesigned between 2008 and 2020 by adding interactive sessions, recorded lectures, and a digital learning platform. Students spent more time engaging with the course and reported significant improvements in feedback quality and access to learning materials. Incremental, technology-supported curriculum changes can meaningfully improve student engagement and satisfaction in theoretical medical courses.

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Developing an Innovative Medical Training Simulation Device for Peripheral Venous Access: A User-Centered Design Approach.

2020

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)

Miranda C, Altermatt F, Villagrán I, Goñi J

Plain English
A new simulation device for training peripheral venous access was developed using a participatory design approach, involving nurses and educators through iterative cycles of user testing and feedback. The process revealed that involving end users throughout device development—rather than only at the end—produces tools that feel meaningful and are more likely to be adopted. Design and anthropology methods can be applied productively to healthcare simulation equipment development.

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Simulated training program in abdominal paracentesis for undergraduate medical students.

2019

Gastroenterologia y hepatologia

Tejos R, Chahuán J, Uslar T, Inzunza M, Villagrán I +6 more

Plain English
A paracentesis simulation workshop was run with 247 undergraduate medical students using a purpose-built abdominal model. Students' procedural checklist scores rose from 55.7% before training to 92.9% after, and satisfaction ratings averaged 4.8 out of 5. Simulation-based paracentesis training is effective at rapidly building clinical skill in a safe environment before students encounter real patients.

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[Undergraduate student's perception of clinical simulation workshops: assessment of an instrument].

2018

Revista medica de Chile

Villagrán I, Tejos R, Chahuan J, Uslar T, Pizarro M +14 more

Plain English
A seven-item perception questionnaire for clinical simulation workshops was adapted and validated with 210 medical students across six simulation programs. Confirmatory factor analysis showed the instrument was unidimensional with good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.72), and overall student perceptions were strongly positive. This validated tool gives simulation educators a reliable way to measure whether students find their training valuable.

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Publication data sourced from PubMed . Plain-English summaries generated by AI. Not medical advice.