A Comprehensive Multicomponent Neurosurgical Course with use of Virtual Reality: Modernizing the Medical Classroom

Abstract

Objective: Surgical education has constantly evolved and has been recently severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. While virtual reality (VR) has been utilized for resident training and neuroanatomy education, application of VR has been limited for neurosurgical education in medical school. This is the first report of a comprehensive, multicomponent teaching model with VR as a primary component to neurosurgical and neuroanatomy education for pre-clerkship medical students.

Design: Twelve second-year medical students were included in this prospective survey study that was conducted to evaluate a year-long neurosurgery elective course with an interactive VR platform as a primary teaching tool for neuroanatomy and neurosurgical procedures. The course had 4 components: (1) didactic/lecture-based learning, (2) problem-based learning, (3) hands-on skills lab, and (4) VR-based learning through Surgical Theater's Precision VR visualization platform. Outcome measures were based on confidence levels measured on pre- and post-course competency confidence surveys in students' ability to identify neuroanatomical structures, interpret neuroradiological imaging, and analyze neurosurgical cases, and student feedback on their experience with VR on a postcourse survey.

Setting: The survey study was conducted in the neurosurgery library and conference room at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Participants: All 12 second-year medical students who enrolled in the neurosurgery zero-credit hour course completed the course.

Results: At course conclusion, 100% of students reported significantly higher competency confidence levels on all topics, and 100% agreed utilizing VR helped them gain a deeper understanding of neuroanatomy/neurosurgery. 92% agreed that using VR helped them better retain the anatomical/functional details of the brain/spine, and 69% better understand neurosurgical skills taught, respectively. 100% of students found the course to be a valuable learning experience and VR a useful learning tool.

Conclusion: A comprehensive multi-component neurosurgery elective course using VR as a primary teaching tool may improve neurosurgical education in medical school.

Keywords: medical education; neurological surgery; neurosurgery; surgical education; surgical training; virtual reality.