The 58-page study profiles the efforts of five universities to either develop or procure virtual reality applications and use them in various forms of medical education. The five institutions profiled are the University of New England, the University of Utah, the University of Washington, the University of Alberta, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
The profiles are based on interviews with leading figures in the development of virtual reality in medical education at each of these institutions. The report probes how medical, dental and other healthcare faculty and administration, medical librarians, and information technology staff, sometimes in collaboration with private sector partners, are developing and applying virtual reality in med schools and other health education and clinical environments.
The report outlines how researchers use innovative approaches to develop VR products including ways to find funding, garner administrative support, collaborate with others, hire help, and run usability studies for assessment and improvement. Readers will obtain a better understanding of how, why, and how much they may want to invest in VR – and how to do it. The study particularly emphasizes university-wide collaboration among administration, faculty, IT staff, students, medical and other librarians, university technology transfer staff, and third parties outside the institution.
The study was written by Brandon Patterson MA, MSI, Technology Engagement Librarian, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah. Mr. Patterson is specialized in working closely with faculty on incorporating information literacy and technology into health sciences instruction.
Table of Contents
About the Author
List of Participants
1. Introduction
2. University of New England
- Description of University of New England Libraries
- Nature of Virtual Reality in Medical Applications
- Students Ready to Learn in VR
- Sustaining the Program
- Management and Personnel Logistics
- Finding Collaborators
- Don’t Forget Information Technology Support
- Students Want a Specific Space Set Up with Equipment Ready to Plug In
- Summary and Future Plans
- Reference
3. University of Utah
- Description of the University of Utah School of Dentistry
- Description of University of Utah Eccles Health Sciences Library
- Nature of Virtual Reality in Medical Applications
- A New Way of Learning by Doing in VR
- VCR as a Breakthrough Educational Technology in Dentistry
- Critical Support from the Dean
- Getting People Interested in VR Together in the Same Room
- The VR Brain Trust
- Using VR to build Implicit and Explicit Knowledge
- Benefits and Limitations for Students in VR
- Cost Savings of VR
- Using the Library as a Partner
- Additional Investment by the Library in VR Personnel
- Summary and Future Plans
- View of the Long Term Development of Virtual Reality in Higher Education
- References
4. University of Washington
- Description of the University of Washington Health Sciences Library
- Nature of Virtual Reality in Medical Applications
- A lot of Initial Interest in VR
- Lessons Learned when Working with Clinicians
- Pivoting to the Introduction of a More Introductory VR Service
- A Shift of VR Away from the Library
- Usability Studies Provide Direction
- Need for More Robust Developer Support
- Summary and Future Plans
- Reference
5. University of Alberta
- Description of the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
- Nature of Virtual Reality in Medical Applications
- Virtual Reality Ideal for Collaboration with Pediatrics
- Teaming up with the Computer Science Department
- Iterations with and without a Headset
- Going Commercial is Difficult
- Summary and Future Plans
- References
6. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
- Description of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
- Nature of Virtual Reality in Medical Applications
- VR Can Do More than Tradition Teaching Methods
- Virtual Reality Simulations Embedded in the Simulation Center
- Returning to Learning Fundamentals to Know When VR is an Appropriate or Good Application
- Master Learning Process First, then VR
- In-House Development Helps Establish VR Distinction
- Brief History of the In-House VR Development Team
- A Future of Standardized Tests in Virtual Environment
- Summary and Future Plans
- Developing IT Support for VR Applications in Medicine
- Just-in-Time Virtual Training
- References
Samples
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Methodology
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