Case-Based Virtual Reality Simulation for Severe Pelvic Trauma Clinical Skill Training in Medical Students: Design and Pilot Study

• DOI: 10.2196/59850
• Publication Date: 2025-01-17T21:31:41Z
• Authors: Peng Teng; Youran Xu; Kaoliang Qian; Ming Lu; Jun Hu
• Keywords: Simulation training

Background Teaching severe pelvic trauma poses a significant challenge in orthopedic surgery education due to the necessity of both clinical reasoning and procedural operational skills for mastery. Traditional methods instruction, including theoretical teaching mannequin practice, face limitations complexity, unpredictability treatment scenarios, scarcity typical cases, abstract nature traditional teaching, all which impede students’ knowledge acquisition. Objective This study aims introduce novel experimental methodology trauma, integrating virtual reality (VR) technology as potent adjunct existing practices. It evaluates acceptability, perceived ease use, usefulness among users investigates its impact on knowledge, skills, confidence managing before after engaging with software. Methods A self-designed questionnaire was distributed 40 students, qualitative interviews were conducted 10 teachers assess applicability acceptability. 1-group pretest-posttest design used evaluate learning outcomes across various domains, diagnosis treatment, preliminary diagnosis, disease sequencing, emergency management hemorrhagic shock, external fixation fractures. Results total students underwent training, 95% (n=38) affirming that software effectively simulated real-patient scenarios. All participants (n=40, 100%) reported completing simulation necessitated making same decisions doctors real life found VR interesting useful. Teacher revealed 90% (9/10) recognized simulation’s ability replicate complex resulting enhanced training effectiveness. Notably, there improvement overall scores shock (t39=37.6; CI 43.6-48.6; P<.001) performing fractures (t39=24.1; 53.4-63.3; from pre- postsimulation. Conclusions The introduced case-based skill-training positively influences medical reasoning, operative self-confidence. offers an efficient strategy conserving resources while providing quality educators learners.