Remote VR Supports Medical Students' Communication

We implemented a virtual reality (VR) communication curriculum, delivered via video teleconferencing, to fourth-year medical students entering paediatric residency. We aimed to assess the impact of a VR curriculum on attitudes and confidence around motivational interviewing (MI) competencies and measure implementation outcomes related to this novel modality of training.

Participants included fourth-year medical students enrolled in a paediatric intern-readiness bootcamp at four US medical schools in spring 2022. The VR curriculum was a 2-h mixed didactic/virtual simulation experience focused on practicing MI competencies in the context of addressing vaccine hesitancy and behavioural health counselling.

A retrospective pre/post Likert-scale survey measured learners' confidence related to curricular communication skills (0 = not at all confident, 4 = very confident). Paired t-tests compared changes in confidence ratings. Descriptive statistics assessed implementation outcomes including feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness related to the delivery of remote VR simulations (1 = completely disagree, 5 = completely agree). Forty of 53 students (75%) completed the survey. Students' self-reported confidence significantly increased across all communication skills, including using reflection statements, using a presumptive announcement to introduce the influenza vaccine and providing evidence-based behavioural management strategies (all p < 0.01). Students agreed that the VR curriculum was highly feasible, acceptable and appropriate.

VR patient simulations via video teleconferencing may provide a feasible distanced platform for teaching MI skills to medical students. Such remote training may support standardised and equitable high-quality training across institutions.