Abstract
Background:
The intersection of technological advancements and medical education has led to integration of virtual reality (VR) surgical simulators, offering a risk-free environment for trainees to hone clinical decision-making and technical skills. Despite the allure of VR in surgical training, the utility of VR exposure in novice medical trainees remains unclear. Numerous studies aim to decipher the relationship between students’ career preferences and proficiency on VR surgical simulators, but results have been inconclusive, necessitating further exploration. We sought to investigate the correlation between students’ interest in a surgical specialty and performance on a VR surgical simulator, aiming to inform the development of tailored pipeline programs for aspiring surgical students and aid in residency program selection processes.
Methods:
Participants included 134 incoming medical students recruited from a local United States medical school. After an informative session on VR’s impact in surgical medicine, participants completed a pre-interventional questionnaire, engaged in a VR simulation of a slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) operative procedure, then completed a post-interventional questionnaire. Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test, Chi-squared test, and Fischer’s exact tests on survey responses and VR simulation markers.
Results:
Descriptive statistics revealed students predominately under 25 years old, nearly equitable gender distribution, and varying levels of interest in surgical specialties. Chi-square tests identified a significant association between sports participation and surgical interest. Nonparametric tests showed no statistically significant differences in VR performance metrics across categories of surgical interest, including the distributions of "number of retries" and "hints" against medical students’ surgical interest.
Discussion:
The findings underscore the potential value of sports participation in shaping students’ inclination towards surgical fields. However, no significant relationship was identified between students' performance in VR surgical simulations and their interest in surgery, challenging assumptions about career interests and practical skills performance. Sample limitations and mitigation strategies were discussed, emphasizing the need for further research to explore additional factors influencing performance in surgical simulations.
Conclusions:
Despite constraints, this study provides valuable insights into factors influencing medical students' career interests and performance in VR surgical simulations. Future investigations should delve into specific aspects of sports engagement and other factors that may shape career aspirations, informing targeted educational strategies and residency selection processes.