PURPOSE Advances in Virtual Reality (VR) anatomy have the potential to
improve student outcomes. The potential positives of VR could make anatomy
education more accessible by reducing recurring program costs, providing
hands-on anatomy experiences for students with limited cadaver access, and
improving learning with integrated labels and descriptions.
METHODS Our pilot-study compared scores and preferences of medical students
in an cadaver anatomy course with supplemental VR sessions. Students had the
option to go solo through the material or be guided by faculty or TA during
the 45–60-minute labs. The structures and content discussed were the same as
the cadaver labs.
RESULTS We had 25 students attend at least 1 of the 10 virtual sessions,
although only 7 returned more than once. Students who attended VR sessions
were more likely to perform better on their weekly quizzes than when not
attending (t-3.472 ; p=.002). Overall, the mean quiz score for students who
attended VR session at least once was .7 pts higher than the class average.
The midterm and final exam scores for students who attended at least 1 VR
session were 3.1 and 2.6 points higher than average. 26% of students
responded with scheduling conflicts as a reason for not attending, while
another 26% stated that they were just not interested. Those who did attend
stated that they found the following things helpful: guided sessions by
faculty or TA, solo sessions, spatial orientation of virtual anatomy
structures, second pass of anatomy content, labels and info with structures,
intuitive application.
CONCLUSIONS The response was positive from the students who attended the
sessions, although the number of attendees was lacking. The increased scores
for attendees of VR sessions are very promising and need to be further
investigated with a larger and more consistent cohort.