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Remote VR Supports Medical Students' Communication
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Remote VR Supports Medical Students' Communication

Daniel G Young, Lisa E Herrmann, Oloruntosin Adeyanju, Stacy B Ellen, Shelby C White, Andrea Meisman and Francis J Real
The clinical teacher, v 22(6), e70251
Dec 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.70251
PMID: 41236383
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.70251View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Clinical Competence Communication Curriculum Education, Medical, Undergraduate - methods Female Humans Male Motivational Interviewing Pediatrics - education Retrospective Studies Students, Medical - psychology Virtual Reality
We implemented a virtual reality (VR) communication curriculum, delivered via video teleconferencing, to fourth-year medical students entering paediatric residency. We aimed to assess the impact of a VR curriculum on attitudes and confidence around motivational interviewing (MI) competencies and measure implementation outcomes related to this novel modality of training. Participants included fourth-year medical students enrolled in a paediatric intern-readiness bootcamp at four US medical schools in spring 2022. The VR curriculum was a 2-h mixed didactic/virtual simulation experience focused on practicing MI competencies in the context of addressing vaccine hesitancy and behavioural health counselling. A retrospective pre/post Likert-scale survey measured learners' confidence related to curricular communication skills (0 = not at all confident, 4 = very confident). Paired t-tests compared changes in confidence ratings. Descriptive statistics assessed implementation outcomes including feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness related to the delivery of remote VR simulations (1 = completely disagree, 5 = completely agree). Forty of 53 students (75%) completed the survey. Students' self-reported confidence significantly increased across all communication skills, including using reflection statements, using a presumptive announcement to introduce the influenza vaccine and providing evidence-based behavioural management strategies (all p < 0.01). Students agreed that the VR curriculum was highly feasible, acceptable and appropriate. VR patient simulations via video teleconferencing may provide a feasible distanced platform for teaching MI skills to medical students. Such remote training may support standardised and equitable high-quality training across institutions.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Medicine, Research & Experimental
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