Virtual reality in medical institutions: Innovative tool to strengthen the process of delivery of medical education

Abstract

The process of medical education delivery has evolved constantly considering the rapid progress in the field of medical sciences, and the varied roles expected of a health-care professional. The current review has been done to explore the role of virtual reality in medical education, and to identify the potential challenges and the suggestions that can aid in the successful introduction of the same in the undergraduate teaching period. An extensive search of all materials related to the topic was carried out in the PubMed search engine, and a total of 23 articles were selected based on their suitability with the current review objectives and analyzed. Keywords used in the search include virtual reality and medical education in the title alone only. Virtual reality is a kind of dynamic and adaptive learning and has been associated with multiple benefits that extend much beyond what is being offered by conventional teaching. Regardless of the multiple benefits, we must realize that it should be used to keep the intended learning outcomes in mind, so as to ensure that it can be integrated into the curriculum effectively. In conclusion, the tool of virtual reality has all the potential to transform medical education delivery in the coming days. Since virtual reality advocates principles of adult learning and gives them a platform to apply their knowledge to practice and subsequently improve on, it is quite necessary that all the medical colleges look to introduce the same within their setup and integrate it with conventional learning.