Purpose: Virtual reality (VR) is a digital education modality that produces a virtual manifestation of the real world and it has been increasingly used in medical education. As VR encompasses different modalities, tools and applications, there is a need to explore how VR has been employed in medical education. The objective of this scoping review is to map existing research on the use of VR in undergraduate medical education and to identify areas of future research.
Method: We performed a search of 4 bibliographic databases in December 2020, with data extracted using a standardized data extraction form. The data was narratively synthesized and reported in line with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews.
Results: Of 114 included studies, 69 studies (61%) reported the use of commercially available surgical VR simulators. Other VR modalities included 3D models (15 [14%]) and virtual worlds (20 [18%]), mainly used for anatomy education. Most of the VR modalities included were semi-immersive (68 [60%]) and of high interactivity (79 [70%]). There is limited evidence on the use of more novel VR modalities such as mobile VR and virtual dissection tables (8 [7%]), as well as the use of VR for training of non-surgical and non-psychomotor skills (20 [18%]) or in group setting (16 [14%]). Only 3 studies reported the use conceptual frameworks or theories in the design of VR.
Conclusion: Despite extensive research available on VR in medical education, there continues to be important gaps in the evidence. Future studies should explore the use of VR for the development of non-psychomotor skills and in areas other than surgery and anatomy.