Hal Education, creating a safe space to practise before it matters: Using AI to train clinicians, not replace them

Topol Fellow, Simon Head, sat down with Tash Willcocks from the fellowship team to reflect on where his project began, interestingly it doesn't start with artificial intelligence or app development.

Simon starts nearly twenty years earlier as a healthcare student.

Like many clinicians in training, Simon remembers being asked to practise consultations with fellow students pretending to be patients, you have probably been in the scenario and can remember that feeling… embarrassingly awkward. Few students took it particularly seriously, and it never quite felt like the real thing. Yet for many healthcare students, those role plays are one of the few opportunities to practise before sitting in front of a real patient, so it’s really important to get it right.

Now working as an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, clinical educator and founder of HAL Education, Simon has spent years seeing the same challenge repeated with his own students. They needed more opportunities to build confidence and practise their consultation skills, but high-quality simulation training can be expensive, time-consuming and difficult to access at scale.

When generative AI began to emerge, Simon saw an opportunity.

A different conversation about AI

Much of the conversation around AI in healthcare focuses on diagnosis, triage and clinical decision-making. Simon found himself asking a different question… What if AI could be used to train clinicians, not replace them. From this, HAL Education was born.

Rather than focusing on replacing clinical expertise with AI, HAL Education has created an iOS app, HAL Virtual Patient, that allows students and clinicians to practise consultations in a safe environment before applying those skills in practice. Learners can speak with AI virtual patients, order tests, explore management plans and receive feedback based on clinical guidance and with his own students. Simon could evidence they struggle to engage with traditional clinical roleplay, but traditional simulation training suites.

For Simon, the ambition has always been straightforward, making high-quality simulation more accessible.

The technologies may be new, but the challenge is a familiar one. How do you help people build confidence before they find themselves in situations where the stakes are real?

When the project changes direction

One of Simon's biggest learnings from the fellowship came when his original project hit a wall. His initial focus was AI-supported triage, but as the work progressed it became clear that the path forward wasn't where he first thought it would be.

Rather than pushing on regardless, he changed direction completely.

"It ended up becoming something I'm much more excited by," he reflected.

The experience reinforced one of the principles that stayed with him throughout the fellowship: iterate, learn and be prepared to change course when the evidence tells you to.

Coming from a self-described planner, that shift in mindset proved surprisingly liberating. Instead of treating the project plan as fixed, he began treating it as something that could evolve as new information emerged.

The people behind the programme

When asked what had the biggest impact during the fellowship, Simon didn't start with the training, he started with the people.

Moving from a predominantly clinical career into the world of digital innovation felt like stepping into a completely different professional space. The opportunity to learn from fellow Topol Fellows, digital specialists, innovators and NHS colleagues helped build both confidence and perspective.

What surprised Simon most was how willing people were to help. The introductions, conversations and advice often started with a simple question and grew into valuable relationships. It challenged an assumption he had carried for years: that asking for help might be an inconvenience to busy people.

Instead, he found a community willing to share ideas, challenge thinking and support each other's progress.

Learning to lean into support

Looking back, there is one piece of advice Simon would give himself at the start of the fellowship… Find a mentor early.

As the project developed, mentors, peers and critical friends became an increasingly important part of the journey. Having people who could challenge assumptions, offer encouragement and share their experience helped him navigate unfamiliar territory.

"I don't want to bother people" was a mindset he carried into the programme, but it’s not one he carries out of it.

Looking ahead

The next step for HAL Education is bringing the platform to more students, clinicians and education providers.

Alongside further development of the technology, Simon is focused on gathering evidence, listening to users and continuing to shape the platform through co-creation. Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with students already asking when they will be able to use it themselves.

For Simon, the goal remains the same as when the idea first emerged., helping clinicians build confidence, develop skills and ultimately provide better care for patients.

If you would like to get involved with helping Simon and HAL Education thrive, Simon is always looking for education establishments to collaborate and work with.

For clinicians, students and educators the app is now available free on the Apple app store for iPhone and iPad. 

Please see HAL Education for further information on HAL Virtual Patient, including institutional tie ups and clinical testing.