The use of virtual reality computed tomography simulation within a medical imaging and a radiation therapy undergraduate programme

INTRODUCTION: The use of virtual reality (VR) simulation in the education of healthcare professionals has expanded into the field of medical radiation sciences. The purpose of this research was to report on the student experience of the integration of VR education for both medical imaging (MI) and radiation therapy (RT) students in learning computed tomography (CT) scanning. METHODS: A survey was performed to evaluate students’ perceived confidence in performing diagnostic and planning CT scans in the clinical environment following VR CT simulation tutorials. Students from both MI and RT participated in providing quantitative and qualitative data. RESULTS: The MI students (n = 28) and RT students (n = 38) provided quantitative results linking their engagement (perceived usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment) with their perceived confidence. The 15 (54%) MI students who recorded a maximum engagement score had a mean confidence score 1.02 higher than the students not fully engaged (Fisher’s exact test 14.549, P = 0.00). The results from the RT cohort revealed 68% of students agreed or strongly agreed to the addition of VR CT simulation helping in the learning of CT. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that the integration of innovative learning opportunities such as VR CT simulation has the potential to increase student confidence and improve student preparation for the clinical environment.