HANDS-ON LEARNING IN VIRTUAL REALITY

Medical colleges are adding virtual reality (VR) labs to develop skills among students that were traditionally learnt on mannequins.

- R. Radhika

Subhashini SK, 22, was fascinated when she tried her hands on a Virtual Reality (VR) laboratory for the first time in her final year of MBBS. The VR lab made tedious theory lessons fun and engaging for medical students in pre-final and final years at Puducherry Institute of Medical Sciences.

Instead of just reading about clinical procedures like inserting an intravenous cannula that is used to administer medicines, students are now actually performing the procedure. The VR lab, set up by Medisim VR, a start-up backed by funds from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and Department of Science and Technology (DST), simulates an environment in which these skills are used, placing the user inside an experience.

"I will soon join a rotational internship where my mentors will be busy and will not have time to teach everything. I need to practice on my skills so that I am not lagging behind but rather learning more with patient interactions while keeping them safe. I can try over and over whenever I want," said Subhashini.

The platforms directly address the skills gap by providing immersive, hands-on training that closely simulates an operating room environment. VR platforms offer tailor-made and on-demand training that can be used anytime.

The college set up the VR lab five months ago and it has already become a favourite among students, said Magi Murugan, vice principal, MBBS programme. "Earlier, it was impossible for students in their third or fourth year to learn procedures through practice. Although, a subject like medicine must be taught hands-on as much as possible. The new laboratory has been set up exactly for this reason. Every student now gets a chance to perform procedures without risking direct patient exposure without adequate preparation and supervision," she said.

MBBS curriculum