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Limitations of Visualization Technology and Virtual Instruction in Medical Education
FASEB Journal ; 35(SUPPL 1), 2021.
Article in English | EMBASE | ID: covidwho-1821961
ABSTRACT
Introduction Traditional medical education has recently seen major challenges due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. New pedagogical methods, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), are on the rise as alternatives to traditional teaching methods. While AR enhances real world experiences by overlaying information, VR immerses users in a computerized world rather than enhancing reality. It is crucial to understand the limitations of these learning modalities and that at best these approaches should be used to supplement and not replace traditional medical education. Objectives This study is part of a larger project that investigates the advantages and disadvantages of AR/VR in medical education. This portion of the study focused on the limitations of AR/VR and the parameters that we explored are professional and interpersonal skill development, visual haptic training, problem solving skills, physician-patient relationship, technological limitations, and financial challenges. Methods This study is a part of a systematic review of the literature seeking to identify the strengths and weaknesses associated with application of AR/VR to medical education. In this portion of the larger study we outline the limitations of AR/VR in medical education. Results Our research indicates that AR/VR may not provide the same learning experience with regards to professional and interpersonal skill development. In person anatomy learning provides an immersive visuohaptic training experience, which has been shown to promote better recall results in comparison to visual or haptic training alone. Current VR headsets have struggles with regards to video quality and latency, which can cause a sensory mismatch called cybersickness. With the high cost of medical education, AR/VR may bring additional financial burdens for students. A study showed one simulation session totaled nearly $107,000. Conclusion Virtual and augmented reality are rapidly being adopted in many academic fields, and while it is certain that tools using these modalities will be used in medical programs, it is important to understand the limitations that these learning tools pose. VR and AR learning environments can be incredibly fruitful, but in their still-nascent state these technologies are best used as a supplementation to well-vetted existing educational approaches rather than a replacement.
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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Language: English Journal: FASEB Journal Year: 2021 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Language: English Journal: FASEB Journal Year: 2021 Document Type: Article