Do innovative immersive virtual reality simulation videos have a role to play in teaching non-technical skills and increasing preparedness for clinical placements for medical students?

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BACKGROUND

Teaching non-technical skills (NTS) is an important part of the undergraduate medical curriculum. Resource intensive high-fidelity simulation has an established role in this. Alternative methods of delivering large scale simulation-based education should be considered to help further improve NTS and preparedness for clinical placements of medical students. Emerging technologies such as immersive virtual reality (VR) may have a role in this.

AIM

To assess if a VR simulation-based teaching programme enhances understanding of NTS and preparedness for clinical placements in medical students at the University of Liverpool.

METHODS

A VR simulation-based teaching programme, consisting of 4 sessions of lecture-based simulation and a hi-fidelity simulation session was delivered to 3  year medical students. The lecture-based sessions used pre-recorded, immersive clinical scenarios developed by the School of Medicine, with a focus on NTS. The hi-fidelity simulation session was delivered by local hospital trusts. A survey was sent to all students to assess their understanding of key NTS: decision making, task prioritisation and delegation and how the clinical environment works. Preparedness for clinical placement and confidence in the clinical environment was also assessed. A focus group further explored how students felt towards these NTS, with subsequent thematic analysis.  Results: 101/281 students responded to the survey reporting a greater understanding in all NTS assessed. Students also described feeling better prepared for clinical placements. The focus group reported the programme provided a 'safe space' for learning alongside increasing understanding of role modelling and self-awareness.  Discussion: Utilising emerging technology alongside hi-fidelity simulation increased students' exposure to the clinical environment and enabled exploration of NTS by students. Additional work with larger focus groups will be required to further validate our results. Whilst restrictions are limiting clinical exposure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we propose that VR simulation-based teaching programmes could provide an alternativeeducational tool.