Real Time, Remote, and Recorded: Medical Student Experiences with Smart Glasses in Obstetrical Simulation

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic generated the need for a teaching tool for enhancing remote education and evaluation of medical trainees. Smart glasses are being explored as a hands-free teaching tool for teleconferencing with hands-on demonstrations in addition to livestreaming capability. We wanted to understand the efficacy of such virtual teaching techniques in teaching procedural and surgical skills.

Medical students in their Obstetrics and Gynecology clerkship at our medical school were recruited to participate in a virtual demonstration of normal vaginal delivery. A birthing simulator and smart glasses were used to livestream the simulated delivery, and a previously published checklist was used to show the steps for conducting routine vaginal delivery. A follow-up electronic survey assessed the clarity of the video and audio feed, level of satisfaction, positive and constructive feedback, and an error-identification exercise with a smart glass-recorded video.

A total of 62 students participated; 98% of them reported that the audio and video feeds were clear and 95% of the students reported being extremely satisfied or satisfied with the teaching tool. Students could identify on average three out of four errors. Students believed the streaming to be "interactive" and a "most effective remote learning" tool, but expressed that it did not "take the place of clinical skills learning."

The combination of smart glass technology and simulation can be a useful new tool for clinical faculty who simultaneously deliver care to patients and teach. Continued research is needed to explore the use of smart glass technology into livestreaming or surgeries and examinations, with consideration for patient privacy concerns and remote assessment of students.