Remote Virtual Reality Teaching: Closing an Educational Gap During a Global Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Technology
• Virtual Reality in Healthcare
• Pediatric Training

Background:

• Resident physicians require early recognition of patient care escalation needs.
• COVID-19 restrictions have limited medical students' bedside and simulation-based learning.
• An educational gap exists in clinical skills training for medical students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of remote virtual reality (VR) training for medical students.
• To address the educational gap caused by reduced in-person clinical training opportunities.
• To assess student perceptions of immersion, tolerability, and effectiveness compared to traditional methods.

Main Methods:

• A prospective pilot study involving third-year pediatric clerkship students.
• Remote group training sessions conducted via video teleconferencing with a physician facilitator using VR.
• Students completed surveys on immersion, tolerability, and perceived effectiveness; data analyzed with binomial testing.

Main Results:

• 140 students participated; 63% completed surveys.
• A majority found VR engaging (78%) with minimal side effects.
• Remote VR training was perceived as more effective than reading and online learning, and equally or more effective than didactic teaching, though less effective than bedside teaching.

Conclusions:

• Remote group clinical training using VR via video conferencing is feasible.
• This approach effectively addresses the gap in clinical experience during COVID-19.
• VR offers a viable alternative for medical education when traditional methods are limited.