Presented By: Joseph Mariscal, Michigan State University
Co-Authors: Christian Foxworthy, Michigan State University
Jeff Haus, Corewell Health
Matthew Mischler, OSF Healthcare
Cory Schmidt, Corewell Health
Justin Steele, Corewell Health
David Synhorst, Corewell Health
Janae Whyte, Michigan State University

Purpose
This research investigates whether virtual reality lectures enhance medical students' engagement and enjoyment while learning ultrasound-guided lumbar puncture. Traditional teaching methods like slideshows may be less engaging and accessible. The study will assess student satisfaction through surveys and evaluate the impact of virtual reality teaching on performance using a task trainer model. By comparing virtual reality and traditional lectures, we aim to contribute valuable insights into the potential benefits of incorporating virtual reality into medical education.

Methods
Medical students from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria will be randomly assigned to virtual reality or slideshow lectures. After the lectures, participants will complete a survey to gauge engagement and enjoyment. Subsequently, students will perform ultrasound-guided lumbar puncture on a task trainer, and their performance will be assessed using a rubric. The study utilizes mixed methods to analyze survey and performance data, ensuring rigorous evaluation of the proposed teaching method.

Results
Data analysis will be performed in the spring, and we hypothesize that participants will experience more enjoyment and engagement in the virtual reality group, while performance gauged by success rate and time to complete a lumbar puncture will be similar between groups.

Conclusions
Participants utilizing virtual reality to learn and practice procedures stand to enjoy medical education, have more access to practice their techniques, and may be more successful and efficient compared to traditional slideshow learning. This project contributes to understanding virtual reality's benefits in teaching medical procedures. As technological advancements continue, the utilization of virtual and augmented reality technology within medical education should be increased.