Immersive Virtual Reality in Cadaveric Bones are Equally Effective in Skeletal Anatomy Education: A Randomised Crossover Non Inferiority Trial

Description

In this presentation, third-year medical student Robert Koucheki discusses a randomized controlled trial focusing on the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) in teaching cadaveric anatomy compared to traditional cadaveric models. Koucheki begins by explaining the definitions and distinctions of virtual reality, mixed reality, augmented reality, and the differences between immersive and non-immersive VR. He highlights the advantages of immersive VR in anatomical education over traditional methods, although noting a lack of past comparisons involving cadaveric models.



The study specifically aims to compare the effectiveness of immersive VR against cadaveric bone in teaching upper and lower limb skeletal anatomy to first-year medical students. A cross-over design is employed where participants first take a preknowledge test and then receive either immersive VR or cadaveric bone instruction, followed by postintervention tests and satisfaction surveys. The study includes 50 students who experience both teaching methods, allowing for robust comparisons.



Results indicate that students significantly improved their knowledge post-intervention, although retention decreased over time. Satisfaction surveys showed that students favored the use of VR technology as a supplementary tool for learning anatomy. They particularly appreciated the ability to visualize 3D relationships between structures.



However, some limitations were identified: the lack of anatomical labels within the VR environment and the absence of tactile feedback. Overall, the findings suggest that immersive VR offers comparable educational effectiveness to traditional methods and that a combination of both may enhance learning outcomes in anatomy education. The session concludes with an invitation for questions from the audience.

Specialties