Virtual reality enhancing medical education and practice: Brief communication

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a major cause of rapid globalization and digitization of educational institutions, including medical education. The adaptation to digital technologies is the purpose of best education and training practices in the development of the academic medical curriculum. Virtual reality (VR) is embraced by the 3D environment and network resources which allow the expansion of VR from the entertainment industry to the education industry. This brief communication explains our understanding and the challenges in adopting VR technologies for medical training at an academic medical center. Advancement in VR technology assists medical institutes to strategize for the further development of medical training and education. There is a timely need for persistence to make the VR content accessible widely and open source. There is an urgent need for collaboration of medical institutes and technology industries on the development of education-related VR content and simulations.