AUTHOR=Fertleman Caroline , Aubugeau-Williams Phoebe , Sher Carmel , Lim Ai-Nee , Lumley Sophie , Delacroix Sylvie , Pan Xueni 

TITLE=A Discussion of Virtual Reality As a New Tool for Training Healthcare Professionals

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 6 - 2018

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00044

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2018.00044

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Background
Virtual reality technology is an exciting and emerging field with vast applications. Our study sets out the viewpoint that virtual reality software could be a new focus of direction in the development of training tools in medical education. We carried out a panel discussion at the Centre for Behaviour Change 3rd Annual Conference, prompted by the study, “The Responses of Medical General Practitioners to Unreasonable Patient Demand for Antibiotics--A Study of Medical Ethics Using Immersive Virtual Reality” (Pan et al., 2016).
 
Methods
In Pan et al.’s study, 21 GPs and GP trainees took part in a videoed, 15-minute virtual reality scenario involving unnecessary patient demands for antibiotics. This paper was discussed in depth at the Centre for Behaviour Change 3rd Annual Conference; the content of this paper is a culmination of findings and feedback from the panel discussion. The experts involved have backgrounds in virtual reality, general practice, medicines management, medical education and training, ethics and philosophy.
 
Viewpoint
Virtual reality is an unexplored methodology to instigate positive behavioural change amongst clinicians where other methods have been unsuccessful, such as antimicrobial stewardship. There are several arguments in favour of use of virtual reality in medical education: it can be used for ‘difficult to simulate’ scenarios and to standardise a scenario, for example for use in exams. However, there are limitations to its usefulness because of the cost implications and the lack of evidence that it results in demonstrable behaviour change.