Virtual reality technology for surgical learning: qualitative outcomes of the first virtual reality training course for emergency and essential surgery delivered by a UK-Uganda partnership.
Helen R PleaseKaramveer NarangWilliam BoltonMike NsubugaHenry LuweesiNdiwalana Billy RichardsJohn DaltonCatherine TendoMansoor KhanDaudi JjingoMahmood F BhuttaDimitra PetrakakiJagtar DhandaPublished in: BMJ open quality (2024)
Outcomes from our first global VR-enhanced essential surgical training course demonstrating dissemination of surgical skills resources in an LMIC context where such opportunities are scarce. The benefits identified included environmental improvements, cross-cultural knowledge sharing, scalability and connectivity. Our process of programme design demonstrates that collaboration across high-income and LMICs is vital to provide locally relevant training. Our data add to growing evidence of extended reality technologies transforming surgery, although several barriers remain. We have successfully demonstrated that VR can be used to upscale postgraduate surgical education, affirming its potential in healthcare capacity building throughout Africa, Europe and beyond.
Keyphrases
- virtual reality
- healthcare
- minimally invasive
- coronary artery bypass
- public health
- systematic review
- mental health
- physical activity
- health information
- clinical trial
- study protocol
- risk assessment
- adipose tissue
- randomized controlled trial
- resting state
- electronic health record
- multiple sclerosis
- health insurance
- atrial fibrillation
- functional connectivity
- climate change
- acute coronary syndrome
- quality improvement