Mixed Reality as a Teaching Tool for Medical Students in Neurosurgery

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery Education
• Medical Simulation
• Mixed Reality Technology

Background:

• Simulation-based learning offers realistic, safe training experiences in neurosurgery.
• Mixed reality (MR) simulation, using head-mounted displays, provides immersive educational experiences.
• MR is a promising tool for medical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an MR neurosurgical simulation module on undergraduate medical student satisfaction.
• To assess the effectiveness of MR simulation in enhancing the neurosurgical hands-on course.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study involving 223 medical students (120 conventional group, 103 MR group).
• MR group used a 3D skull fracture model with virtual surgical planning via Magic Leap goggles.
• Satisfaction was measured using visual analog and Likert scales.

Main Results:

• MR group satisfaction score (94.2 ± 7.5) was significantly higher than the conventional group (89.3 ± 13.3).
• MR users reported significantly greater satisfaction (Mdn = 97.0) compared to conventional users (Mdn = 93.0).
• The utilization of MR simulation demonstrated a moderate effect size (r^biserial = 0.30) associated with greater satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Medical students responded positively to mixed reality simulation as an educational tool.
• The findings support the integration of disruptive technologies like MR into medical curricula.
• MR simulation shows potential for enhancing neurosurgical training and student satisfaction.