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What if medical trainees could learn complex procedures or practice emergency responses in realistic simulations, without needing to perform them on actual patients or in risky clinical settings? Virtual reality (VR) is reshaping medical education by creating immersive, repeatable experiences that build technical skills, foster collaboration, and strengthen empathy.
A recent commentary article by Dr. Mark Mohan Kaggwa, Precious Agboinghale, Diana Marginean, Dr. Gary Andrew Chaimowitz, and Dr. Andrew Toyin Olagunju explores how VR can transform medical training and prepare learners for complex, real-world scenarios.
Photo courtesy of St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
A New Way to Learn
VR places learners inside three-dimensional environments that mirror real-world situations. These simulations let trainees make decisions, manage emergencies, and safely repeat challenging scenarios to build skills and confidence, without putting patients or themselves at risk.
Beyond clinical techniques, VR also helps learners improve soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and understanding patient perspectives. It enhances hands-on and interactive learning by giving trainees safe opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in simulated scenarios.
Adapting to Specialized Training
Educators are also using VR in specialized areas, including forensic psychiatry. Simulations prepare trainees for secure clinical environments where situations can be complex and unpredictable.
These exercises allow learners to rehearse responding to Code White (when managing violent or aggressive behaviour) and Code Blue emergencies (when reacting to life-threatening medical situations, such as cardiac arrest). Trainees can also practise providing expert testimony, managing seclusion protocols, and conducting contraband searches.
This approach shows how VR can adapt to different training needs while keeping learning environments safe and controlled.
Opportunities and Challenges
VR’s potential in medical education is significant, but its integration comes with challenges. High upfront costs for equipment, software, and scenario development can limit access, particularly outside well-funded institutions. There are also concerns about equitable availability, the authenticity of simulations, and the risk of over-reliance on virtual environments.
Broader adoption will require clear guidelines, stronger evidence about its long-term impact, and institutional support to build confidence among educators and trainees.
There are many misconceptions, such as the idea that VR could replace hands-on patient training or that simulations are not realistic enough to prepare learners for clinical situations. Addressing these helps ensure VR complements, rather than substitutes, real-world practice.
Advances in artificial intelligence and augmented reality are making VR simulations increasingly adaptive and realistic, expanding how trainees learn and practice complex skills. Blended learning models — combining VR-based training with direct patient interaction — may provide the best balance between technical competence and interpersonal skills.
Looking Ahead
VR is opening new possibilities for medical education by creating safe, flexible spaces for learning. For medical trainees and professionals in specialized fields, it offers an innovative way to build skills and prepare for the realities of clinical practice.
Written by Kyle Roerick and approved by Dr. Mark Mohan Kaggwa.
