Using Virtual Reality to Assist Students at Academic Risk in Human Anatomy

Learning human anatomy presents a significant challenge for health profession students due to the difficulty in visualizing structures in three dimensions. Virtual reality (VR) has been reported to aid in understanding these relationships. In this study, students at academic risk attended VR sessions alongside their gross anatomy course. Data from post-surveys, observations, and examinations indicated VR participants performed similarly to peers, except in head/neck and pelvis/lower limb exams where performance was lower. Students valued VR for enhancing confidence and understanding. VR shows promise in supplementing anatomy education, particularly for less complex regions, and bridging gaps in traditional learning methods.