Exploring Virtual Reality as a Tool for Enhancing Teaching and Learning Anatomy to Medical Students: A Feasibility...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy Learning
• Virtual Reality Technology

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive 3D learning environments increasingly utilized in medical education.
• VR is beneficial for surgical and anatomy training, especially when cadaveric dissection access is limited.
• Despite potential benefits like enhanced engagement and knowledge retention, concerns about usability, feasibility, and cybersickness persist.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the acceptability of VR for anatomy learning among medical students.
• To assess student perceptions of VR's usability, enjoyment, immersion, educational value, and interaction.
• To evaluate the incidence of cybersickness and students' intention for future VR use in anatomy education.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative, cross-sectional pilot study involving 38 medical students at a simulation center.
• Participants engaged in a guided VR session using human anatomy software.
• An online survey, adapted from validated questionnaires, assessed user experience and cybersickness, with feature engineering for analysis.

Main Results:

• High acceptance and enthusiasm for VR in anatomy education were reported by all participants.
• 95-98% found VR easy to use, immersive, and effective for interacting with 3D anatomical objects.
• Despite 8% experiencing cybersickness, all students expressed interest in future VR-based learning, indicating feasibility and high potential.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality is a feasible and well-accepted tool for anatomy education, complementing traditional methods.
• VR significantly enhances student engagement, understanding, and enjoyment in anatomy learning.
• Further research is recommended to investigate long-term knowledge retention and clinical implementation strategies for VR in medical institutions.