Enhancement of Medical Student Suturing Technique Harnessing Virtual Reality Technology

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Skills Training
• Virtual Reality Applications

Background:

• Traditional 2D methods are standard for teaching suturing.
• Evaluating novel educational modalities like virtual reality (VR) is crucial for enhancing medical training.
• First-year (MS1) and second-year (MS2) medical students require effective suturing instruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) versus 2D methods in teaching suturing skills.
• To assess the impact of VR and 2D training on medical student confidence.
• To determine if VR offers a significant benefit over 2D for novice surgeons.

Main Methods:

• Medical students (10 MS1, 12 MS2) were stratified into VR and 2D cohorts.
• All students received instructional videos and practiced suturing on cadavers.
• Performance was blindly assessed, and statistical analyses (Mann-Whitney U, t-tests) were performed.

Main Results:

• The VR cohort achieved significantly higher overall global rating scores (P=0.04).
• VR training led to significantly better subcuticular stitch performance (P=0.04) and procedural scores (P=0.01).
• Both VR and 2D increased student confidence, with VR showing a greater benefit for MS1 students.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality (VR) provides superior improvement in suturing skills compared to 2D methods.
• The subcuticular stitch is a key area where VR demonstrates significant advantages.
• VR enhances student confidence more effectively, particularly for early-stage medical students (MS1).