Virtual reality

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Abstract
Virtual reality ( VR ) is gaining recognition for its enormous educational potential . While not yet in the mainstream of academic medical training , many prototype and first-generation VR applications are emerging , with target audiences ranging from first - and second-year medical students to residents in advanced clinical training . Visualization tools that take advantage of VR technologies are being designed to provide engaging and intuitive environments for learning visually and spatially complex topics such as human anatomy , biochemistry , and molecular biology . These applications present dynamic , three-dimensional views of structures and their spatial relationships , enabling users to move beyond " real-world " experiences by interacting with or altering virtual objects in ways that would otherwise be difficult or impossible . VR-based procedural and surgical simulations , often compared with flight simulators in aviation , hold significant promise for revolutionizing medical training . Already a wide range of simulations , representing diverse content areas and utilizing a variety of implementation strategies , are either under development or in their early implementation stages . These new systems promise to make broad-based training experiences available for students at all levels , without the risks and ethical concerns typically associated with using animal and human subjects . Medical students could acquire proficiency and gain confidence in the ability to perform a wide variety of techniques long before they need to use them clinically . Surgical residents could rehearse and refine operative procedures , using an unlimited pool of virtual patients manifesting a wide range of anatomic variations , traumatic wounds , and disease states . Those simulated encounters , in combination with existing opportunities to work with real patients , could increase the depth and breadth of learners ' exposure to medical problems , ensure uniformity of training experiences , and enhance the acquisition of clinical skills .

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