Sinead is a co-lead on the Erasmus+ funded Technology in Pain Education VR-PAIN grant. This project leverages virtual reality (VR) and technology enhanced learning (TEL) to standardise and improve clinical reasoning in pain science. Addressing the challenge of pain management—a core but complex area in physiotherapy education, the project developed immersive VR case scenarios. These cases (acute back pain, post-surgical pain, and chronic back pain) allow students to build competences and confidence in clinical reasoning and communication skills within a safe, simulated environment before working with real patients in clinical practice modules. Funded by UCD-Beacon Hospital Collaborative Research Seed Funding 2024, further research will explore integrating these VR cases into interprofessional education for medical and physiotherapy students.
Sinead has a leadership role in health professional education in UCD, nationally with membership of the National Implementation Group for Clinical Education in the Therapy Professions, and establishing the National Practice Education Co-ordinators Network. Most recently she has led on the development of The National Health and Social Care Professional Quality Framework for Sustainable Practice Education and is currently working on a projects developing the use of Virtual Reality in teaching.
Dr Sinead McMahon is Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Education in the School of Public health Physiotherapy and Sports Science in UCD.
Her current research focuses on evaluating the integration of technology into academic and practice placement environments.