Medical students have traditionally been given the opportunity to learn about the human body by dissecting actual cadavers or working with 2D pictures. These have traditionally been promising ways to educate, but there’s one big downside. Cadavers and 2D pictures don’t show the body in motion. Virtual reality has changed that though, as health education campuses are now implementing virtual and mixed reality training curriculums that incorporate laptops, joysticks, headsets, and virtual reality to provide medical students with a new way of learning. The students at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine are one of the schools adopting this amazing technology. They can now learn about human anatomy by heading to a virtual reality lab and dissecting virtual images that are seemingly floating in the air. It’s an investment in the future of healthcare and is a compelling example of what virtual reality medical training can offer the world.
Another university, the Case School of Medicine, is on board with the virtual reality trend as well. However, they are using a device called Microsoft HoloLens that provides students with mixed virtual reality learning environments. These students are able to view holographic images as well as actual objects with the HoloLens. Mixed virtual reality combines real-world objects and virtual reality, which is the perfect match for medical students that are hungry for real-world experience but not ready for the real thing. Students and professors can see each other while they are studying a certain area of the body or bone, which means professors can easily provide assistance if a student is struggling.
Mixed reality medical training is intriguing because it doesn’t shut users into their own world like virtual reality headsets typically do. Perhaps one day, medical students won’t even need to dissect cadavers anymore. One thing is for sure, a medical student can learn a lot more from using this incredible technology than they would with 2D diagrams. Combining all of the educational resources together like mixed reality medical training, books, and real-world examples will help to get medical students more prepared for helping people than ever before. This virtual reality medical training trend is sure to continue progressing to fascinating places. Some healthcare technology experts think that doctors will be examining CAT scans and other diagnostics in full 3D. The applications for this technology in the medical world are truly limitless, which is why it’s a great idea to stay in the loop.
