Bridging the virtual and the physical laboratory for physiology education

The COVID-19 pandemic drove the transition of traditional physical physiology laboratories to virtual means, which have been thoroughly evaluated to highlight their benefits and limitations. Studies suggest that although virtual physiology laboratories are superior for visualising abstract theories and simulating disease parameters, at a reduced cost and time, they cannot replace the technical and motivational benefits associated with haptic sensory feedback and student-staff interactions from the physical laboratory experience. Blended models that integrate both virtual and physical laboratory activities display combined benefits, while minimising limitations from both formats. Specifically, educators should consider learning objectives, course-specific needs, module complexity, and the unique affordances of virtual and physical laboratories to design student-centred blended physiology laboratories.