159 Global Implementation and Impact of a Virtual Reality-Based Surgical Education Program

Abstract

Introduction
Traditional surgical training is constrained by limited theatre access, hierarchical barriers, and inconsistent procedure variety. The Virtual Reality in Medicine and Surgery (VRiMS) programme addresses this with immersive virtual reality (VR) structured training through surgical videos with image overlays and anatomical models. Covering 350+ procedures, VRiMS has been implemented across the UK and over 10 low-income countries.

Aim
To assess the impact of VRiMS on procedural and anatomical confidence and evaluate its feasibility as a scalable surgical training tool.

Method
268 medical students and trainees received didactic lectures, VR surgical videos, and interactive anatomical models. Procedures included craniotomy (n=68), radial forearm free flap (n=53), mitral valve repair (n=42), fasciotomy (n=29), posterior knee approach (n=27), proximal humeral fracture repair (n=22), lateral canthotomy (n=13), abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (n=7), and rhinoplasty (n=7). Confidence (1–5 Likert scale) was assessed pre- and post-workshop using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

Results
76.5% (205) of participants had no prior experience with VR in medical education. Procedural confidence increased significantly from 1.71 ± 0.94 to 3.41 ± 0.95 (p<0.01), and anatomical confidence improved from 2.22 ± 1.04 to 3.62 ± 0.95 (p<0.01). Significant gains (p<0.05) were observed across most procedures (8 out of 9). 74.3% (199) rated VRiMS more effective than traditional surgical education, and the mean likelihood of recommending the workshop was 4.30 ± 0.88 out of 5.

Conclusions
VRiMS significantly enhances confidence in complex surgical procedures, demonstrating its potential to deliver scalable, impactful training globally. Planned development of 11 VRiMS hubs across Africa will improve global surgical education accessibility and address regional training needs.