Virtual reality and the transformation of medical education

TLDR

Medical education is evolving toward simulation, and virtual reality is emerging as a cost‑effective, repeatable, and increasingly adopted method for delivering standardized clinical training. The study seeks to integrate VR into curricula and harness technological advances to enable shared simulated clinical experiences. VR provides cost‑effective, repeatable, standardized training that enables scalable interprofessional education and transforms clinical education delivery.

Abstract

Medical education is changing. Simulation is increasingly becoming a cornerstone of clinical training and, though effective, is resource intensive. With increasing pressures on budgets and standardisation, virtual reality (VR) is emerging as a new method of delivering simulation. VR offers benefits for learners and educators, delivering cost-effective, repeatable, standardised clinical training on demand. A large body of evidence supports VR simulation in all industries, including healthcare. Though VR is not a panacea, it is a powerful educational tool for defined learning objectives and implementation is growing worldwide. The future of VR lies in its ongoing integration into curricula and with technological developments that allow shared simulated clinical experiences. This will facilitate quality interprofessional education at scale, independent of geography, and transform how we deliver education to the clinicians of the future.