Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality on Orthopedic Surgical Skills and Knowledge Acquisition Among Senior Surgical Residents: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
OrthoEvidence Journal (OE Journal) - ACE Report
OE Journal. 2025;13(6):38 JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Dec 1;3(12):e2031217.What this means for my practice?
IVR training significantly improves surgical skill acquisition, knowledge transfer, and efficiency compared to traditional video methods, offering a scalable and cost-effective tool for modern surgical education. However, the small sample size and single-session design limit generalizability and long-term impact assessment.
Study Summary
Eighteen senior orthopedic surgery residents were randomized to receive training for reverse shoulder arthroplasty using either immersive virtual reality (IVR) (n=9) or a video-based instructional method (n=9). The primary outcome was performance on the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS). Secondary outcomes included transfer of training (ToT), transfer effectiveness ratio (TER), cost-effectiveness ratio (CER), and validation of a novel Precision Score. Outcomes were assessed following a single training session and evaluated using cadaveric procedures. Overall, the results of the study revealed that IVR-trained residents had significantly higher OSATS scores and made fewer procedural errors compared to the control group. IVR training was also more time-efficient and cost-effective. These findings suggest IVR may be a valuable tool for enhancing surgical education and reducing learning curves.
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