Virtual Reality vs Traditional Lecture-Based Methods in Radiation Safety Continuing Medical Education

To compare the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR)-based continuing medical education (CME) with traditional lecture-based methods in enhancing radiation safety knowledge among health care professionals.

Thirty-six health care professionals, including scrub nurses, cardiologists, and orthopedic surgeons, completed VR-based (RadSafe VR; Virtual Medical Coaching) and traditional training. Evaluations taken before and after training assessed knowledge retention, learner satisfaction, and radiation safety practices. Occupational eye dose radiation exposure also was monitored for 40 weeks using dosimeters.

VR training improved knowledge retention by 30% at 3 months after training compared with traditional methods. Eye dose exposure decreased by 25%, indicating the intervention effectively reduced occupational radiation risks. In addition, 85% of participants preferred VR training because of its interactive and immersive features.

VR training demonstrated superior efficacy in reducing radiation exposure while fostering behavioral adherence to safety protocols. This aligns with prior studies that emphasize VR's ability to address the limitations of traditional methods of CME such as limited engagement and practical application. The sustained reductions in radiation exposure observed in this study suggest VR has the potential to promote long-term improvements in safety culture among health care professionals.

VR-based CME improved radiation safety knowledge retention and significantly reduced radiation exposure. Its integration into training programs offers a cost-effective and successful approach to advancing safety protocols in clinical practice. Further research is warranted to confirm these outcomes.