Virtual Reality and Its Education Impact

VR in the medical field 1

VR in the medical field 3

Virtual Reality in The Medical Field

S.J.& D.A.R.

CCBC Dundalk

Virtual Reality in The Medical Field

Virtual Reality, according to the dictionary, is a realistic and immersive simulation of a three-dimensional environment, created using interactive software and hardware, and experienced or controlled by [the] movement of the body. Abbreviation: VR. ("Virtual reality") Virtual Reality can be experienced with expensive software and hardware, like the Vive Pro McLaren, priced at $1200. Google’s Cardboard VR sets aim to be more affordable, ranging from $6 to $40, their sets are a great starter to test out your tolerance for VR simulations. VR can be a fun way to pass the time, a way to experience different cities as if you were truly on vacation, or a good way to study. While the hardware can be expensive, virtual simulations can provide students with a perspective that would not be otherwise possible, therefore preventing harm to animals used for science, making VR is the most ideal way to learn, practice, and research in the medical field.

The focus of this essay will be on Virtual Reality’s abilities to help students in the medical field; however, VR can help students of all majors. "[Virtual Reality] allows users not only [to] see it but also interact with it. Being immersed in what you’re learning motivates you to fully understand it." (Babich, 2019). Some students who are hands-on learners, like me, need to see and touch something physically to understand. There are plenty of videos online for different subjects, and teachers may provide audible instruction, but if the student isn't able to stay engaged, they will not learn. Although physical touch may not always be possible, the ability to move the model around in VR while being transported inside the model will allow students to learn in ways that would never be possible without VR. Some VR sets allow you to rotate, zoom, walk around and see with unique features like ‘Ant mode’ or ‘Slice mode’. " Situations that are impractical or impossible to recreate — flying, for example, or the harrowing events that can lie behind PTSD — can be conjured at the click of a mouse." (Babich, 2019). VR can be used in a therapeutic setting by creating simulations that may not be practical in real life. A therapist will be able to set the scene to evoke specific triggers to overcome while in a safe and controlled environment. If a patient becomes too overwhelmed, they may simply take the headset off, diminishing the number of panic attacks and meltdowns associated with PTSD. A headset may also be used as a calming strategy. There are hundreds of games you can play on VR, and therapists may use this to assist the patient in composing themselves after an episode.

The immersive virtual experience makes the topic you’re learning more interesting and helps strengthen memory recall. I believe the way it works is it almost tricks your mind into thinking that you are truly there, and your awareness is heightened, allowing you to remember more things because you’re paying more attention to it. For example, imagine that you are using a VR set that includes handpieces so you can grab. You are to climb a cliff. You go to grab a rock, and you slip, so you’re only grabbing the cliff with one hand now. You look down and realize the bottom is not visible. Your heart beats hard and you start to sweat. You’re panicking because you’re afraid of heights, but you know this isn’t real. It’s just a simulation. You will remember the feeling it gave you. You’ll remember which rock gave way when you grabbed it. That’s just my theory but scientists know more about how it works. There are a plethora of studies testing Virtual Reality’s abilities to enhance memory. Neuroscientist Nanthia Suthana is the first to use a VR set on her patients to learn more about memory loss. Suthana directs her patient to recall where the yellow dots light up while walking around with a VR headset on. While the patient is doing so, a surgically implanted prosthesis records the brain's functions to show how the brain encodes and retrieves memory. Suthana has a big objective. “ To develop therapeutic tools that could restore lost memories to people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury and other disorders." ("How VR Curbs Memory Loss", 2017). Suthana’s groundbreaking use of VR to study how memory forms in the brain can help neuroscientists develop tools to strengthen the memory of those who suffer from memory loss, which may eventually lead to us finding a cure.

Virtual simulations, if adopted by more educational institutes, can put an end to the harm of millions of animals. " Approximately 10 million animals are used for crude classroom dissection exercises annually in the U.S. PETA’s investigations into biological supply companies, which sell animal bodies and parts, have uncovered acts of cruelty to animals, including the drowning of rabbits and the embalming of cats while they were still alive.” ("Animals Used in Education", 2010). VR offers a way to teach students without the mass murder of millions of animals. To quote my Anatomy and Physiology teacher, " We can assume that the mother died of natural causes and they donated her unborn fetus for science. If that makes you feel any better. But the mother was likely slaughtered for food and then we bought the fetal pig." (Mani Kurian 2020). We had to dissect fetal pigs to learn about organ placement and tissue connection, but the discoloration made it hard to identify what organ was what. The fluids made the fetus slippery, increasing the risk of us cutting ourselves. Some students can’t handle harming animals to learn, which was clear when several students left the class. With VR, we can dissect without any risk of harm to ourselves or the animal.

Even if the animal died of natural causes, there are still risks in animal dissection. PETA found that dangerous chemicals are used in the preservation of animals used for dissection. " The animals used for classroom dissection are often preserved with harmful chemicals, such as formaldehyde and formalin. Formaldehyde is used as a preservative and found in cigarette smoke—it’s classified as a human carcinogen, and repeated exposure to low levels may cause respiratory difficulty, eczema, and skin sensitization." ("Dissection Is Dangerous, Unethical, and Unnecessary-Here's Why"). The risk is low, but if we can eliminate the risk, why wouldn’t we? With VR, there's no need for harmful carcinogens and no exposure to squirting bodily fluids, which eliminates the need for disposable supplies like gloves.

To those wondering how it’s done, the process is simple. " They film real-life surgery in 4K 360° video from multiple angles which is then combined with CGI models of the anatomy being operated on to provide an immersive & interactive training experience." ("Virtual Reality in the Healthcare Industry"). This makes it extremely realistic. Students can achieve realistic practice without the risk of harming a patient. No cadaver is necessary, cutting the costs and making the practice more sanitary. CGI (Computer Generated Images), creates a more realistic practice than using a cadaver as the simulation will show students how live muscles and tissues work. " In the current study, we hypothesized that students' knowledge structures would become more expert-like as a result of their diagnosing and treating a patient experiencing a hematoma within a virtual environment." (Stevens, Goldsmith, & Summers, 2004). The study shows that VR can provide students with more expertise compared to students using a cadaver for practice.

Animations and anatomical models that are labeled will help students focus on the dissection without harming an animal. The animal’s body is mutilated by the end of the lesson and must be discarded, but a VR lesson can be repeated as much as the student likes. "Dozens of peer-reviewed studies show that dissecting animals is bad science, whereas, when students use modern methods, they learn faster and can repeat material until they’re proficient. Studies also show that students prefer using humane alternatives such as interactive simulations and anatomical models." ("Dissection Is Dangerous, Unethical, and Unnecessary-Here's Why"). A higher percentage of students would prefer to use interactive simulations instead of practicing on animals.

While VR software may be expensive to set up in the beginning, the advantages outweigh the cost. Educational institutions, hospitals, and therapeutic settings will eventually save more money because many materials will no longer be required. VR is the most ethical and practical way to do dissections. Virtual Reality will save millions of animals, help students retain more information which will better prepare them for their careers, and transform the way we conduct medical research.

References Animals Used in Education. (2010, June 23). Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/classroom-dissection/ Babich, N. (2019, September 19). How VR Education Will Change How We Learn & Teach: Adobe XD Ideas. Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://xd.adobe.com/ideas/principles/emerging-technology/virtual-reality-will-change-learn-teach/ Dissection Is Dangerous, Unethical, and Unnecessary-Here's Why. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://headlines.peta.org/teachkind-dissection-feature-2/#video Get Cardboard. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://arvr.google.com/cardboard/get-cardboard/ How VR Curbs Memory Loss. (2017, September 3). Retrieved from https://vrroom.buzz/vr-news/trends/how-vr-curbs-memory-loss Stevens, S., Goldsmith, T., & Summers, K. (2004, December 21). Virtual reality training improves students' knowledge structures of medical concepts. . Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://europepmc.org/article/med/15718790 Virtual reality. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/virtual-reality?s=t Virtual Reality in the Healthcare Industry. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://visualise.com/virtual-reality/virtual-reality-healthcare We are innovating the education of future doctors. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.medicinevirtual.com/#anatomy-explorer Why VR Is the Perfect Education Tool. (2019, November 4). Retrieved from https://mbryonic.com/vr-education/