Haider Syed Mustafa, Fatima Narmeen, Abbas Muhammad Hassan
Department of General Surgery, Surgical Unit 2, Sheikh Zayed Medical College and Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, PAK.
Cureus. 2025 Feb 21;17(2):e79428. doi: 10.7759/cureus.79428. eCollection 2025 Feb.
The use of virtual simulation (VS)-based institutional practices is increasing with a gradual shift in the incorporation of the latest technology such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) in medical education. Our cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the perception and practice of simulation and VR among professionals in surgery. It was also aimed to identify how their integration would affect the surgical practice, including their significance and acceptance among relevant stakeholders.
A pre-designed questionnaire was filled in by 218 participants, from all four public sector tertiary care teaching hospitals of the southern Punjab region of Pakistan. A sample size of 218 was calculated with a 5% margin of error and an 80% confidence interval. The questionnaire included sections on perception, familiarity, and effectiveness of integrating simulation and VR into the surgical practice. The survey was performed from January 1, 2025, to January 31, 2025. Data was collected through online platforms (Google Forms, Google LLC, Mountain View, CA), and hard copies. Data was analyzed by IBM SPSS Statistics, version 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) and submitted responses were represented in terms of percentage and frequency.
Among the participants, 76.61% (n=167) showed their familiarity with simulation and VR, and 54.50% (n=119) reported limited realism and high cost as the challenges for implementing simulation and VR. All participants (100%) reported the lack of availability of simulation and VR in their institutions. Among the participants, 81.80% (n=201) confirmed the improvement of surgical skills, decreased errors, and increased performance by using simulation and VR. Spearman's rank-order correlation showed a positive relationship (r=0.159) and a statistically significant result (p=0.019).
Despite the challenges and limitations, the integration of simulation and VR into the training curriculum should be prioritized with the allocation of funds and training of supervisors. Competencies of the surgical trainees should be signed off including specified time on rehearsal before practical implications.
随着虚拟现实（VR）和人工智能（AI）等最新技术逐渐融入医学教育，基于虚拟模拟（VS）的机构实践的应用正在增加。我们的横断面研究旨在评估外科专业人员对模拟和VR的认知与实践。该研究还旨在确定它们的整合将如何影响外科实践，包括其在相关利益攸关方中的重要性和接受程度。
来自巴基斯坦旁遮普省南部地区所有四家公立三级护理教学医院的218名参与者填写了一份预先设计的问卷。计算得出样本量为218，误差幅度为5%，置信区间为80%。问卷包括关于将模拟和VR整合到外科实践中的认知、熟悉程度和有效性的部分。调查于2025年1月1日至2025年1月31日进行。数据通过在线平台（谷歌表单，谷歌有限责任公司，加利福尼亚州山景城）和纸质副本收集。数据由IBM SPSS Statistics 20版（IBM公司，纽约州阿蒙克）进行分析，提交的回复以百分比和频率表示。
在参与者中，76.61%（n = 167）表示熟悉模拟和VR，54.50%（n = 119）报告有限的真实感和高成本是实施模拟和VR的挑战。所有参与者（100%）报告其所在机构缺乏模拟和VR设备。在参与者中，81.80%（n = 201）确认使用模拟和VR可提高外科技能、减少错误并提高绩效。斯皮尔曼等级相关显示存在正相关关系（r = 0.159）且具有统计学意义（p = 0.019）。
尽管存在挑战和限制，但应优先将模拟和VR整合到培训课程中，并分配资金和培训督导人员。外科实习生的能力应进行评估，包括在实际操作前进行特定时间排练的要求。
