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
- emergency department
- public health
- social media
- risk assessment
- physical activity
- type diabetes
- systematic review
- surgical site infection
- randomized controlled trial
- coronary artery disease
- metabolic syndrome
- machine learning
- functional connectivity
- adipose tissue
- skeletal muscle
- acute coronary syndrome
- quality improvement
- resting state
- data analysis