Extended Reality Is Underutilized in Medical Device Training: A Descriptive Literature Review.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Technology
• Digital Health Training
• Healthcare Simulation

Background:

• Extended Reality (XR), encompassing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), is increasingly explored for professional training.
• Current literature highlights XR's potential in competence assurance, digital skills, and medical device training.
• A gap exists in original studies specifically assessing XR for medical device training efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing literature on XR applications for competence assurance and training in digital skills and medical devices.
• To identify the extent to which original studies have evaluated XR for medical device training.
• To highlight the potential of XR technologies in enhancing medical device competence.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive review of existing literature.
• Synthesis of studies utilizing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for training.
• Identification of research focusing on medical device training using XR modalities.

Main Results:

• Few original studies were identified that specifically aimed to assess medical device training via virtual modalities.
• XR technologies present potential solutions for improving medical device competence assurance.
• The literature indicates a need for further investigation into XR's role in medical device training.

Conclusions:

• XR technologies offer promising avenues for enhancing medical device training and competence.
• Further research is essential to fully understand and validate the benefits of XR in medical device education.
• The current body of evidence suggests a need for more rigorous studies on XR for medical device training.