Virtual reality meets ENT: a low-cost high-fidelity teaching course for peritonsillar abscess drainage

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Virtual Reality Technology

Background:

• Pilot randomized controlled trial assessing virtual reality (VR) as a supplementary teaching tool.
• Focus on peritonsillar abscess drainage training for third-year medical students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of VR-based versus traditional teaching methods.
• To assess impact on procedural confidence, knowledge, and performance in medical students.

Main Methods:

• Twenty students were randomized into VR-based or traditional teaching groups.
• Both groups received a 90-minute session followed by assessments.
• VR group utilized HTC Vive Focus 3 headsets with specific educational platforms.

Main Results:

• The VR group achieved higher scores on objective structured clinical examinations (p = 0.005).
• VR training led to significantly greater procedural confidence (p = 0.008) and engagement (p = 0.003).
• Knowledge improved in both groups, with no significant post-session difference (p = 0.701).

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality significantly enhances procedural confidence and performance in surgical training.
• The immersive nature of VR supports its integration into surgical education curricula.
• Further validation in larger studies is recommended to confirm these findings.