Virtual Reality Simulated Learning Environments: A Strategy to Teach Interprofessional Students About Social...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Education

Background:

• Physician assistant (PA) and medical degree (MD) students often lack comprehensive training in addressing social determinants of health (SDOH).
• Social work (SW) students possess extensive SDOH knowledge, but interprofessional training opportunities with medical trainees are limited.
• Bridging this gap is crucial for developing holistic healthcare professionals capable of addressing complex patient needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the feasibility and acceptability of an interprofessional virtual reality simulated learning environment (VR SLE) for teaching SDOH.
• To assess health professions students' perceptions of using VR for interprofessional education.
• To explore the impact of VR SLE on teamwork skills and understanding of SDOH.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 15 medical and PA students participated in web-based sessions on SDOH, health equity, and team-based care.
• Students engaged in case-based learning within an immersive VR SLE, fostering teamwork.
• Post-course surveys and focus groups were conducted, with thematic analysis of qualitative data.

Main Results:

• VR SLE facilitated learning of patient engagement strategies from SW students, enhancing their leadership capacity.
• MD and PA students valued the hands-on VR interprofessional training and expressed interest in learning about other roles and community resources.
• Participants found the VR SLE instruction acceptable and beneficial for understanding multidisciplinary team strengths.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality simulated learning environments (VR SLEs) offer a feasible and acceptable method for interprofessional education on SDOH.
• VR SLEs enable collaboration across different programs and locations, mirroring future professional practice.
• This innovative approach highlights the value of multidisciplinary teams in healthcare delivery.