Immersive Technologies in Global Medical Training and Practice: A Multi-Region Mixed-Methods Study of Virtual Reality, Metaverse, and 3D Display Integration

Mohamed Abdelhakim^1,2*Julia Bartkova³Akkoyun Gulsum⁴Yumiko Tomita^2,4Atsushi Sato^2,5Naif H Alotaibi⁶Mamdouh Aboulhassan⁷Li Dongcai⁸Daisuke Tomita^2,4*

• ¹Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Nippon Medical School Hospital, Bunkyō, Japan
• ²Mirise Minamiaoyama clinic, Tokyo, Japan
• ³Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, South Moravia, Czechia
• ⁴Japan Oral Health Association, Tokyo, Japan
• ⁵Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
• ⁶Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• ⁷Department of Pediatric Surgery, Cairo University, Giza, Giza, Egypt
• ⁸Department of Otolaryngology, Shenzhen Longgang Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China

Background: Immersive technologies in healthcare including virtual reality (VR), metaverse platforms, and 3D display technology are transforming global healthcare by improving medical education, advancing surgical training, enhancing patient preparedness, and facilitating remote collaboration. Adoption varies regionally due to infrastructure, cost, and digital literacy gaps. This study examined their impact on healthcare training and delivery outcomes and identified key integration barriers.Methods: This mixed-methods instructional-integration study spanning four regions, Japan, the Middle East and North Africa, China, and the United States, utilized pre-and post-training surveys. Participant confidence in using immersive technologies was rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Paired t-tests determined significance. Thematic analysis of qualitative data (open-ended responses) identified key benefits and implementation challenges.Results: Of 350 healthcare professionals, 300 completed both surveys. Confidence improved significantly across all technologies: VR simulators (2.8-4.2), metaverse platforms (3.1-4.0), and 3D display systems (3.2-4.3), all p < 0.05. Regional trends were consistently positive, with favorable outcomes in surgical precision and spatial understanding (Cairo University, King Al Faisal University). Thematic analysis cited expense (62%), limited infrastructure (56%), and need for context-specific training (49%) as key barriers; 88% of participants reported increased willingness towards applying immersive technology in healthcare settings.Discussion: Immersive technologies significantly enhance medical education and procedural training, demonstrating cross-regional applicability. Favorable feedback-based gains in user confidence underscore their transformative potential. Equitable adoption requires tackling systemic barriers through strategic investment, localized customization, and international collaboration. These findings offer actionable insights to inform policy and program development for digital healthcare transformation.