Abstract
The World Health Organization has identified the job situation as one of the main contributors to mental disorders. The healthcare sector is particularly affected, given the profound relationships among doctors, patients, and caregivers that extend beyond clinical practice, encompassing the psychological and emotional spheres. This distress becomes even more crucial when doctors engage with patients—and their caregivers—facing terminal illnesses such as cancer. In this context, the use of empathic skills is imperative. Empathy training is gaining prominence in medical education, as the empathic attitude of doctors has been shown to enhance patient satisfaction and treatment adherence. Despite existing training programs relying on imagination and role play, which have demonstrated some limitations, Virtual Reality is emerging as a promising tool for empathy training. This chapter aims to outline the current state of vulnerability factors affecting the healthcare sector and how they impact communication with patients. Furthermore, it intends to present the potential of Virtual Reality as a valuable tool in the education curricula for physician students to cultivate empathetic and compassionate skills.