Perspectives of health professions students on using virtual reality as a teaching tool: a cross-sectional study in 10 Ugandan Medical schools

Perspectives of health professions students on using virtual reality as a teaching tool: a cross-sectional study in 10 Ugandan Medical schools | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Perspectives of health professions students on using virtual reality as a teaching tool: a cross-sectional study in 10 Ugandan Medical schools Godfrey Wekha, Nelson Ssewante, Isaac Ebiju, Rebecca Nabaweera, and 17 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4811279/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Virtual reality (VR), a simulation modality for skills acquisition, has been used as a teaching alternative in several professions globally with reportedly excellent practical experience. This makes it one of the few potential solutions for the daily increasing overcrowding in most training classes, including those of medical schools. However, scant data exists on the perceptions of Health Professions Students (HPS), one of the most likely suitable VR users to be once this teaching modality is officially adopted. We aimed to find out Ugandan HPS's perspective on using VR as a teaching tool. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study among undergraduate health professions students (HPS) aged 18 years and above across ten Ugandan Medical schools. The data was collected through an online survey and analyzed using STATA version 16. Results Overall, 361 HPS, with a mean age of 24.2 (standard deviation, SD = 3.8) years, and a male preponderance (217, 60.1%) participated in this study. A majority (215, 59.6%) were students for Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB). Three-hundred and sixteen (87.5%) participants had prior knowledge of VR. Of these, only 56(18%) had acquired this knowledge through class settings, and 136 (37.8%) had used a VR modality before this survey. Of these 136, Seventy-five (54.4%) had used VR in official academic training. A majority (306, 85%) of participants believed that VR would be an important upgrade in modern medicine if introduced as a teaching tool, would be open to using VR if trained to do so (338,94%), and would recommend their adoption in medical training and healthcare (319, 89%). Participants who had prior VR knowledge (p < 0.001) and those who had been formally introduced to the concept of VR (p = 0.032) were likely to accept VR as a learning model. Conclusion Despite the participants' high awareness and positive attitude towards VR, less than one-third have used it in their academic settings. The gradual incorporation of VR in the existing teaching modalities by Ugandan medical schools could create better learning environments and skill acquisition for HPS to produce more competent healthcare professionals. Simulation Virtual reality Students Health Learning Uganda Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Introduction Virtual reality (VR) refers to a group of technologies that allow a user to simulate a situation or experience of interest within an interactive but computer-generated environment using VR headsets [ 1 , 2 ]. Since its inception in 1987, VR has had diverse applications in various fields ranging from the tourism industry, entertainment, business, architecture, and military training, where it has had a great impact [ 3 – 5 ]. Until the recent past, the extent of the role of virtual reality in healthcare and medical education was largely unknown. VR has however seen successful application among children with cerebral palsy, post-stroke patients for cognitive rehabilitation psychiatry, and military operatives with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with promising results [ 6 – 9 ]. Despite its utility in different Healthcare settings above, VR technology has not been well received in medical training, which can in part be attributed to concerns about cost implications and lack of evidence of demonstrable behaviour change among those who have used the technology [ 10 ]. On the other hand, however, it has also been documented that VR could be utilized to improve clinical reasoning, handle ethical dilemmas, and help in understanding the dynamics involved in a doctor-patient relationship [ 11 ]. Adopting VR as a teaching tool is fast taking shape, with institutions like the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California, the University of Sussex, England, and recently the University of Nebraska Medical Center taking the lead in embracing VR as a teaching tool [ 12 , 13 ] In Africa and other developing countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on the adoption of digital technologies for training in the healthcare sector as institutions adopted various forms of learning to minimize the impact of the pandemic on the continuity of different learning programmes. Many healthcare training institutions to date are utilizing blended learning, where part of the learning is done online and the other is done physically [ 14 – 16 ]. In this emerging space, VR has also seen rising utility, as demonstrated in a study among South African nursing students, which showed a positive response to a tool utilizing virtual reality in their training [ 17 ]. The author, however, cited a need for improvement in the technology to add relevant scenarios [ 17 ]. In Uganda, in particular, training on ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia was successfully delivered to anesthetic officers in the Kigezi region via VR, with strong positive feedback from more than 90% of the attendees [ 18 ]. The rapidly growing population of Uganda has caused an increase in demand for healthcare workers, which has in turn led to the mushrooming of numerous medical schools in the country, many of which rely on public health facilities for hands-on training and don't have teaching hospitals of their own[ 19 ]. As a result, the majority of the available public health facilities have been overwhelmed by over 10,000 medical students, leaving a deficit concerning effective training and practical skill acquisition. Some of the institutions, such as Mbarara University, Gulu University, and Makerere University, have opted to partly utilize simulation and surgical skilling to equip their medical students [ 20 ]. However, a notable consequence of this strain is that some students in clinical fields find themselves deprived of actual practical and hands-on experience. This deficiency significantly hampers their advancement, particularly in clinical settings, operating rooms, and while attending to patients at their bedside. This gap could potentially be bridged by VR, where a student gets to experience a simulation with the semblance of a clinical setup. However, we did not know how ready Ugandan HPS were regarding the incorporation of this new VR technology into their learning, since studies about VR usage in a Ugandan setting are still very scanty. In this study, therefore, we aimed to find out Uganda’s undergraduate health professions students' (HPS) perspectives on VR. Results would provide data that could guide future research and inform authorities in various learning institutions and health care on how best to make evidence-based interventions that incorporate VR into their students’ learning. Methods Study Design and Setting. We conducted a cross-sectional study using Quantitative study techniques through online platforms across ten medical schools in Uganda. By the time we did this study, Uganda had 10 institutions accredited to offer undergraduate medical degrees, which include Makerere University (Mak), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Gulu University (GU), Kampala International University (KIU), Kabale University (KU), Busitema University (BU), Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), Soroti University (SU), Uganda Christian University (UCU), and Lira University. A variety of courses are offered in these institutions, including Bachelor in Medicine and Surgery (MBChB), Bachelor in Dental Surgery (BDS), Bachelor in Pharmacy (BPHAR), Bachelor in Nursing (BSN), Bachelor in Biomedical Sciences (BSB), and Bachelors in Radiography (BMR), among others. Mak, GU, MUST, BU, KU, MU, LU, and SU are public universities, and the remaining universities are private. The combined population size of these institutions is about 10,000 students. Study Population and Selection Criteria Medical students pursuing any medical programme at the bachelor's level in any of the ten universities mentioned above in medicine, dental surgery, or nursing were considered eligible for this study. Those with electronic gadgets who could access the online link for the study, and who consented to participate in this study were recruited, while those without smart gadgets that could access the questionnaire link and those who never consented to the study were excluded automatically. Sample size and sampling technique. The sample size was determined using the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Epi Info Stat Calculator, Using a Study population size of 10,000 students, an expected frequency of 50%, and confidence limits of 0.5%, the estimated sample size was 370 students. We employed a convenience sampling method, targeting at least 31 Participants from each of the selected universities. Data Collection An online data collection tool was designed and executed using Google Forms (via docs.google.com/forms). The Google Form link to the questionnaire was sent to the eligible participants via various WhatsApp Messenger groups, individual WhatsApp inboxes, and email addresses using the Survey Monkey approach. We also had representatives per participating year of study at every participating university. These were the ones who continuously shared the study link, calling eligible students to fill out the online questionnaire. Data Management and Analysis Completed questionnaires were downloaded from Google Documents and imported into Microsoft Excel 2016 for cleaning and coding. Cleaned data was exported to STATA V16 for analysis. Numerical data were summarized as means and standard deviations, or median and interquartile range (IQR), as appropriate. Categorical data were summarized as frequencies and proportions. Knowledge, perceptions, and acceptability were captured as dichotomous outcomes with Yes or No Responses, including a category of not sure where uncertainty was anticipated in the responses. Ethical Considerations This study was approved by Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee (MHREC), with a study protocol number MHREC 2469 . We chose MHREC because Makerere University utilizes Mulago Hospital as a teaching hospital, where a significant portion of our research activities takes place. In line with this arrangement, we leverage both Mulago Hospital's IRB and Makerere University's IRB for our research initiatives. This approach ensures comprehensive ethical oversight and compliance with regulatory standards, given the dual role of Mulago Hospital as both a clinical facility and an educational institution. We obtained informed consent from each participant before answering the questionnaire. Being an online study, we ensured this by providing a consent statement at the end of the introductory page. Two responses were received, one accepting to participate and the other declining. Those who tapped on the option for declining could just stop on that introductory page, while those who tapped on the accept button could then proceed to the next sections of the questionnaire to start answering. Personal identifiers like names, registration numbers, or student numbers were not captured on the questionnaire to ensure anonymity. This study was conducted following the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki . Results We enrolled 361 participants in this study, translating into a 97.6% response rate. Out of the 361 participants, 217 (60.1%) were male, and the mean age was 24.2 (standard deviation 3.8) years. The majority of participants, 215 (59.6%), were students enrolled in Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB), as shown in Table 1 . Table 1 Characteristics of participants enrolled in this study Variable Frequency (n) Percentage (%) Sex Male 217 60.1 Female 144 39.9 Religion Anglican 107 29.6 Roman Catholic 104 28.8 Born again 101 28.0 Moslem 26 7.2 Others 23 6.4 University Busitema 76 21.1 Makerere 75 20.8 MUST 47 13.0 Lira 46 12.7 KIU 45 12.5 Kabale 34 9.4 UCU 27 7.5 Gulu 9 2.5 IUIU 1 0.3 Soroti 1 0.3 Course MBChB 215 59.6 BNUR 68 18.8 Others 35 9.7 BPHARM 26 7.2 BDS 17 4.7 Year of study Year 1 26 7.2 Year 2 45 12.5 Year 3 131 36.3 Year 4 86 23.8 Year 5 73 20.2 Knowledge about the use of Virtual Reality Of the 361 participants in this study, 316 (87.5%) had prior knowledge of Virtual Reality. Of these, 156 (50%) had obtained this knowledge through social media, and only 56 (18%) had acquired this knowledge through class settings ( Table 2 ) . Table 2 Knowledge about the use of VR among medical students Variable Frequency % Ever heard of Virtual Reality? Yes 316 87.5 No 45 12.5 Source of information about Virtual Reality (N = 316) Social media 156 50.0 Friends 66 21.2 Class 56 18.0 Conference 18 5.8 Websites 11 3.5 Movies/video games 4 1.3 Video games 1 0.3 Ever been introduced to Virtual Reality? No 250 69.3 Yes 111 30.8 Have you ever used Virtual Reality? No 224 62.2 Yes 136 37.8 Mode of use of Virtual Reality Official academic training 75 54.4 Outside my official academic training 57 41.3 Gaming 5 3.6 Participated in a surgical procedure at a remote location 1 0.7 Is Virtual Reality the same as Simulation? No 195 62.1 Yes 119 37.9 Simulation replicates real-world medical scenarios Yes 199 63.4 No 115 36.6 A third of the participants had been introduced to the concept of Virtual reality in a formal setting, and 136 (37.8%) had used a VR modality before this survey. Of those who had used VR, about half had used it in official academic training. Perceptions about the use of VR as a medical training modality ` Although very few participants in this study had opportunities to be introduced to the use of VR as a training modality in Medical Education (ME), the majority, 306 (85%), believed it would be an important upgrade in modern medicine if introduced as a teaching tool. Up to 157 (43%), and 134 (37%), believed VR could be a better learning model for anatomy and surgical skills, respectively (Fig. 1) . Acceptability A great majority, 338 (94%) of participants, would be open to using VR if trained to do so, and 319 (89%) would recommend their adoption in medical training and healthcare (Fig. 2) . Participants who had prior knowledge (regardless of their source) were likely to accept the use of VR as a learning model (p < 0.001). Likewise, participants who had been formally introduced (p = 0.032) to the concept of VR were likely to accept it as a learning model. Discussion The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected the Ugandan Education system, with the national lockdown putting over 15 million children out of school. This worsened the already existing inequities in access to Education at different levels [ 18 ]. In response to this, the National Council for Higher Education of Uganda (NCHE) approved the use of the emergency Open Delivery e-learning (ODeL) platform by institutions of Higher learning [ 21 ]. The adoption of these technologies was important, especially in medical training, where students were at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 from patients. This, however, was not without its challenges, such as internet connectivity and lack of technology, knowledge, and skills [ 22 ]. Noteworthy, the technologies adopted did not account for the special nature of medical training, which requires hands-on skills training where VR plays a role. During the pandemic, VR was used to successfully train frontline workers on handling COVID-19 cases through different simulated bedside scenarios, with more than 90% of the respondents reporting it was good training and recommended it to other colleagues [ 23 ]. In this study, more than two-thirds (87.5%) of study participants demonstrated knowledge of virtual reality, and half of these had obtained information about VR from social media. However, a few (18%) study participants had obtained information about VR in a class setting. These results indicate a deficiency of VR teaching sessions in the different Ugandan medical school curricula. Evidence has shown that lack of knowledge and awareness has been noted as a barrier to using VR technology in medical education and treatment [ 24 ]. Our study showed that 62.2% of participants had never used VR during their medical training. The absence of VR training curricula and VR gadgets among medical training institutions could have predisposed many students to not using VR. These findings provide baseline information on VR utilization among institutions in low-income countries like Uganda. Furthermore, these results highlight the importance of VR as an alternative teaching tool for medical students. About half of the study participants perceived that VR could effectively teach anatomy and other surgical skills. The perception obtained in this study is comparably lower than that obtained from another study in the USA by Kolla et al. [ 25 ] to evaluate medical students' perceptions regarding VR inclusion in medical training. Over 80% of their study participants perceived VR as a relevant and very useful tool for understanding different anatomy and dissection skills. Another study by Zhao and others [ 26 ] demonstrated that VR is an important learning platform that would improve learners' knowledge of anatomy. Another study demonstrated that over 85% of participants considered VR a training tool in different medical aspects [ 27 ]. Similarly, in South Africa and Nigeria, study reports indicated a positive attitude towards VR among their participants. Notably, they expressed concern about a lack of infrastructure, finance, and required VR skills [ 28 , 29 ]. It is not surprising that such studies yield similar results, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with limited financial resources, civil wars, and poor governance. In contrast to our study, we did not examine the factors that impede VR adoption in higher education institutions. We also report that most students demonstrated a lack of trust among health workers who solely use VR during their training. The absence of trust could be due to the absence of VR training modalities in the different local medical institutions and poor classroom knowledge translation concerning VR. This may imply that despite the everyday advancements in medical education technology, traditional learning by physical class attendance by students is still perceived as crucial and considered a more effective and trusted learning modality, with other long-distance learning modalities better incorporated as supplements to it, not as the sole teaching method, especially for teaching hands-on skills. Nevertheless, 85% of the respondents believed that VR is an important upgrade to medical training and can improve skill acquisition among medical students. This finding could, in part, be accounted for by the increased exposure to digital learning technologies for distance learning during and in the post-pandemic era in Uganda and the rampant social media utilization [ 30 – 32 ] Our study further reports that the majority of participants were willing to utilize virtual reality in their training, and they believed that it would offer better outcomes concerning surgical skilling, with close to 90% of them recommending its adoption in medical training. Besides, they believed adopting virtual reality training in healthcare was necessary to improve knowledge and precision acquisition. These results align with those reported by Sattar and colleagues in Pakistan, which reported that most students were highly motivated to utilize virtual reality during training [ 33 ], as in other studies [ 34 , 35 ]. Finally, students with prior VR knowledge were more likely to accept virtual reality as a learning model. In addition, being formally introduced to virtual reality was also associated with VR acceptability. Literature has demonstrated that different medical students easily pick up interest in using VR in training because of its interactiveness, usefulness, and ease of use [ 36 ]. Emphasizing the different benefits of virtual reality during various classroom sessions can further enhance the acceptability of VR among medical students who have not yet been introduced to this teaching modality in different medical institutions. Study Implications With most students obtaining information about VR from social media and a few from classroom settings, creating streamlined VR awareness channels for informing medical students, such as working groups, could enhance their interest and acceptability during their training. The study demonstrated a high willingness of medical students to adopt VR training modalities to acquire more medical and surgical skills. Therefore, adopting the different VR training modalities in low- and middle-income countries may significantly improve learning and skill acquisition in institutions in these countries. Additionally, these findings would allow extensive incorporation of technology in the learning environments across the different medical institutions in the country, which can enhance the quality of the trained medical students. Limitations While exploring the motivation to utilize VR, the study did not employ any motivation score, which could have predisposed to obtaining biased responses. However, since this is among the first studies to explore VR among medical students and medical institutions in Uganda, it offers baseline information that could be used to conduct substantial studies involving these motivation scores. Furthermore, the study did not evaluate the enjoyment and satisfaction of the medical students while utilizing VR modalities. However, this wasn't feasible, especially given that the majority had not utilized the VR during their training. However, it is a foundation for further research concerning VR utilization among medical students. Recommendations We recommend that virtual reality sessions be included in the different medical curricula, especially among clinical students, to enhance their interaction and acquisition of various medical and surgical skills. Additionally, we recommend developing training models that explore how VR can be leveraged to improve the training of medical students. We further recommend that further research be conducted concerning the applicability of VR in different surgical fields, such as urology, anatomy, and laparotomy, among others. The results from these investigations will offer detailed information concerning the applicability of the VR training modality, especially in a low-income setting such as Uganda. Conclusion VR remains a critical training modality with significant improvements in skills and knowledge translation among medical students, especially in this era of technological advancement. The knowledge, acceptability, and perceptions of VR utilization among medical students depend on different factors, such as exposure, the availability of training curricula in medical institutions, and the presence of these VR gadgets. In this study, despite the participants' high awareness and positive attitude towards VR, less than one-third have used it in their academic settings. With students' higher willingness to adopt VR teaching modalities, integrating them into training institutions can promote better training outcomes. For low-income countries, Uganda included, VR provides an alternative training modality and skilling for different medical students, which can improve the overall healthcare training. Furthermore, integrating VR training sessions into different training curricula can help low-income countries such as Uganda meet the Sustainable Development Goal 3 target of good health, which includes sustainable medical technologies by 2030. Competing interests The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding No funding was obtained for this project. Author contributions GW, NS, and IE conceptualized the study topic and identified the research gap PM, IA, BK, RN, AA, and PA Coordinated the initial proposal development and data collection process BRK and MRN coordinated the data analysis process. GW, IA, IE, PM, and BK developed the first manuscript draft. DB, PM, and FB reviewed the initial manuscript draft DB, VK, and FK reviewed the final manuscript draft Acknowledgment We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to the following research assistants for the role they played in coordinating the data collection alongside the different co-authors in the different universities: Francis Ssengoba, Evas Muhumuza, Joseph Labalpiny, Grant Kijana, Carol Ashaba, David Tenywa, Shillah Ankunda, and Florence Bonabana. Thank you so much. Your efforts were invaluable to the success of this project. Abbreviations VR Virtual Reality HCW Health Care Worker ME Medical Education SD Standard Deviation MHREC Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee IQR Interquartile Range CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MAK Makerere University MUST Mbarara University of Science and Technology KIU Kampala International University KU Kabale University BU Busitema University IUIU Islamic University in Uganda SU Soroti University UCU Uganda Christian University LU Lira University HPS Health Professional Students PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Declarations Ethical approval and consent to participants This study was approved by the Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee (MHREC), with a study protocol number MHREC 2469. We obtained informed consent from each participant before answering the questionnaire. Being an online study, we ensured this by providing a consent statement at the end of the introductory page. Two responses were received, one accepting to participate and the other declining. Those who tapped on the option for declining could just stop on that introductory page, while those who tapped on the accept button could then proceed to the next sections of the questionnaire to start answering. Personal identifiers like names, registration numbers, or student numbers were not captured on the questionnaire to ensure anonymity. This study was conducted following the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Clinical Trial Number: This study does not involve a clinical trial. Therefore, a clinical trial number is not applicable. Consent for publication All participants provided informed consent for their data to be used in this study and for the results to be published. Consent was obtained through an online consent statement presented at the beginning of the questionnaire. Participants were required to indicate their agreement to participate and allow the use of their data for publication purposes by selecting the appropriate option before proceeding with the questionnaire. The study protocol ensured that participants understood their rights, including the voluntary nature of their participation and their right to withdraw at any time without penalty. Personal identifiers were not collected to maintain anonymity and confidentiality. This process complies with the ethical standards set by the Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee and the Declaration of Helsinki. Availability of data and materials The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to privacy and ethical restrictions but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. All data were collected in compliance with the ethical guidelines approved by the Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee (MHREC). 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Arthroscopy; 2021. pp. e1343–8. 5Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4811279","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":334695050,"identity":"d9ae44a1-2c6f-4509-90e8-e058f3310da8","order_by":0,"name":"Godfrey 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Ebiju","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Isaac","middleName":"","lastName":"Ebiju","suffix":""},{"id":334695053,"identity":"4b29404a-b885-443c-856d-9c94f16f1bed","order_by":3,"name":"Rebecca Nabaweera","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Kampala International University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rebecca","middleName":"","lastName":"Nabaweera","suffix":""},{"id":334695054,"identity":"16c7e002-b098-4b16-a616-93416032b4d1","order_by":4,"name":"Pius Atau","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Mbarara University of Science and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Pius","middleName":"","lastName":"Atau","suffix":""},{"id":334695055,"identity":"08765f2b-f45b-43a7-91fc-8572b6b69479","order_by":5,"name":"Bernard Raymond Kihumuro","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Mbarara University of Science and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Bernard","middleName":"Raymond","lastName":"Kihumuro","suffix":""},{"id":334695056,"identity":"89f9c738-f735-40c0-b96d-aaf9b6fb2a04","order_by":6,"name":"Racheal Nakandi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Mbarara University of Science and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Racheal","middleName":"","lastName":"Nakandi","suffix":""},{"id":334695057,"identity":"480c798e-5e3d-4708-9f46-bb03437447fb","order_by":7,"name":"Davis Banturaki","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Gulu University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Davis","middleName":"","lastName":"Banturaki","suffix":""},{"id":334695058,"identity":"14f8d522-ee85-4c0f-9f0d-3d1705f1f5c3","order_by":8,"name":"Ferguson Natukunda","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ferguson","middleName":"","lastName":"Natukunda","suffix":""},{"id":334695059,"identity":"77b0911e-0ba7-4930-831a-47b2f91fe173","order_by":9,"name":"Jonathan Babuya","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Busitema University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jonathan","middleName":"","lastName":"Babuya","suffix":""},{"id":334695060,"identity":"84bed1a1-42b7-4a3f-bf8f-de1107e569b5","order_by":10,"name":"Vivian Nabisere","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vivian","middleName":"","lastName":"Nabisere","suffix":""},{"id":334695061,"identity":"aea855c8-53b9-46e9-802a-1efbd068e4a2","order_by":11,"name":"Phillip Musoke","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Phillip","middleName":"","lastName":"Musoke","suffix":""},{"id":334695062,"identity":"a4637a91-4ccd-4d5f-a149-149aa99ee4be","order_by":12,"name":"David Buyana","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lira university","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"David","middleName":"","lastName":"Buyana","suffix":""},{"id":334695063,"identity":"e39e08fe-b167-4bb5-a665-621da9e5a427","order_by":13,"name":"Arnold Atuhaire","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Arnold","middleName":"","lastName":"Atuhaire","suffix":""},{"id":334695064,"identity":"22accec4-7b16-4fea-ae01-c82f5fdfd9ce","order_by":14,"name":"Primrose Magala","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Eye Health Africa","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Primrose","middleName":"","lastName":"Magala","suffix":""},{"id":334695065,"identity":"176c7556-944a-496d-ab64-0dc3f4731f45","order_by":15,"name":"Jethro Tendo Ddungu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Christian University School of Medicine","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jethro","middleName":"Tendo","lastName":"Ddungu","suffix":""},{"id":334695066,"identity":"29cb8c1f-21ad-4b6b-b78d-7ab9ccd76d4e","order_by":16,"name":"James Lubwama","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Busitema University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"James","middleName":"","lastName":"Lubwama","suffix":""},{"id":334695067,"identity":"38a8b336-ccc3-4f43-b28e-c4ae38c6dacd","order_by":17,"name":"Richard David Muwanga","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Mbarara University of Science and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Richard","middleName":"David","lastName":"Muwanga","suffix":""},{"id":334695068,"identity":"c28040bc-ac8c-4f65-82af-025116bc67a7","order_by":18,"name":"Innocent Ayesiga","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Kampala International University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Innocent","middleName":"","lastName":"Ayesiga","suffix":""},{"id":334695069,"identity":"49c916c6-9191-43e5-bf74-4937679e06d5","order_by":19,"name":"Blaise Kiyimba","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Blaise","middleName":"","lastName":"Kiyimba","suffix":""},{"id":334695070,"identity":"58d28125-ab2d-4575-9412-c925b4e7fffa","order_by":20,"name":"Felix Bongomin","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Felix","middleName":"","lastName":"Bongomin","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-07-27 05:56:39","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4811279/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4811279/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":64142464,"identity":"74358fc7-fde6-4eef-ab5f-890f84b3165c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-09-08 18:59:50","extension":"jpg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":566485,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eLegend not included with this version.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure1.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4811279/v1/e9f0ab2a4339ab9ffb0109cb.jpg"},{"id":64142463,"identity":"138cc18b-3201-42e6-908d-14995ce2e747","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-09-08 18:59:50","extension":"jpg","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":164159,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eLegend not included with this version.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure2.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4811279/v1/05bf07c569dd9ad8555e786f.jpg"},{"id":70131344,"identity":"a466e2c6-d181-4e61-84fe-27969ee7d8fa","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-11-28 16:01:58","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1463754,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4811279/v1/fe3523b8-e15b-4f34-89d5-66be470f1489.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Perspectives of health professions students on using virtual reality as a teaching tool: a cross-sectional study in 10 Ugandan Medical schools","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eVirtual reality (VR) refers to a group of technologies that allow a user to simulate a situation or experience of interest within an interactive but computer-generated environment using VR headsets [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Since its inception in 1987, VR has had diverse applications in various fields ranging from the tourism industry, entertainment, business, architecture, and military training, where it has had a great impact [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR4\" citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. Until the recent past, the extent of the role of virtual reality in healthcare and medical education was largely unknown. VR has however seen successful application among children with cerebral palsy, post-stroke patients for cognitive rehabilitation psychiatry, and military operatives with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with promising results [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR7 CR8\" citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite its utility in different Healthcare settings above, VR technology has not been well received in medical training, which can in part be attributed to concerns about cost implications and lack of evidence of demonstrable behaviour change among those who have used the technology [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. On the other hand, however, it has also been documented that VR could be utilized to improve clinical reasoning, handle ethical dilemmas, and help in understanding the dynamics involved in a doctor-patient relationship [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. Adopting VR as a teaching tool is fast taking shape, with institutions like the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California, the University of Sussex, England, and recently the University of Nebraska Medical Center taking the lead in embracing VR as a teaching tool [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn Africa and other developing countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on the adoption of digital technologies for training in the healthcare sector as institutions adopted various forms of learning to minimize the impact of the pandemic on the continuity of different learning programmes. Many healthcare training institutions to date are utilizing blended learning, where part of the learning is done online and the other is done physically [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR15\" citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. In this emerging space, VR has also seen rising utility, as demonstrated in a study among South African nursing students, which showed a positive response to a tool utilizing virtual reality in their training [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. The author, however, cited a need for improvement in the technology to add relevant scenarios [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. In Uganda, in particular, training on ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia was successfully delivered to anesthetic officers in the Kigezi region via VR, with strong positive feedback from more than 90% of the attendees [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe rapidly growing population of Uganda has caused an increase in demand for healthcare workers, which has in turn led to the mushrooming of numerous medical schools in the country, many of which rely on public health facilities for hands-on training and don't have teaching hospitals of their own[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]. As a result, the majority of the available public health facilities have been overwhelmed by over 10,000 medical students, leaving a deficit concerning effective training and practical skill acquisition. Some of the institutions, such as Mbarara University, Gulu University, and Makerere University, have opted to partly utilize simulation and surgical skilling to equip their medical students [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]. However, a notable consequence of this strain is that some students in clinical fields find themselves deprived of actual practical and hands-on experience. This deficiency significantly hampers their advancement, particularly in clinical settings, operating rooms, and while attending to patients at their bedside. This gap could potentially be bridged by VR, where a student gets to experience a simulation with the semblance of a clinical setup. However, we did not know how ready Ugandan HPS were regarding the incorporation of this new VR technology into their learning, since studies about VR usage in a Ugandan setting are still very scanty. In this study, therefore, we aimed to find out Uganda\u0026rsquo;s undergraduate health professions students' (HPS) perspectives on VR. Results would provide data that could guide future research and inform authorities in various learning institutions and health care on how best to make evidence-based interventions that incorporate VR into their students\u0026rsquo; learning.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eStudy Design and Setting.\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe conducted a cross-sectional study using Quantitative study techniques through online platforms across ten medical schools in Uganda. By the time we did this study, Uganda had 10 institutions accredited to offer undergraduate medical degrees, which include Makerere University (Mak), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Gulu University (GU), Kampala International University (KIU), Kabale University (KU), Busitema University (BU), Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), Soroti University (SU), Uganda Christian University (UCU), and Lira University. A variety of courses are offered in these institutions, including Bachelor in Medicine and Surgery (MBChB), Bachelor in Dental Surgery (BDS), Bachelor in Pharmacy (BPHAR), Bachelor in Nursing (BSN), Bachelor in Biomedical Sciences (BSB), and Bachelors in Radiography (BMR), among others. Mak, GU, MUST, BU, KU, MU, LU, and SU are public universities, and the remaining universities are private. The combined population size of these institutions is about 10,000 students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStudy Population and Selection Criteria\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMedical students pursuing any medical programme at the bachelor's level in any of the ten universities mentioned above in medicine, dental surgery, or nursing were considered eligible for this study. Those with electronic gadgets who could access the online link for the study, and who consented to participate in this study were recruited, while those without smart gadgets that could access the questionnaire link and those who never consented to the study were excluded automatically.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eSample size and sampling technique.\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe sample size was determined using the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Epi Info Stat Calculator, Using a Study population size of 10,000 students, an expected frequency of 50%, and confidence limits of 0.5%, the estimated sample size was 370 students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e We employed a convenience sampling method, targeting at least 31 Participants from each of the selected universities.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eData Collection\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAn online data collection tool was designed and executed using Google Forms (via docs.google.com/forms). The Google Form link to the questionnaire was sent to the eligible participants via various WhatsApp Messenger groups, individual WhatsApp inboxes, and email addresses using the Survey Monkey approach. We also had representatives per participating year of study at every participating university. These were the ones who continuously shared the study link, calling eligible students to fill out the online questionnaire.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eData Management and Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompleted questionnaires were downloaded from Google Documents and imported into Microsoft Excel 2016 for cleaning and coding. Cleaned data was exported to STATA V16 for analysis. Numerical data were summarized as means and standard deviations, or median and interquartile range (IQR), as appropriate. Categorical data were summarized as frequencies and proportions. Knowledge, perceptions, and acceptability were captured as dichotomous outcomes with Yes or No Responses, including a category of not sure where uncertainty was anticipated in the responses.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eEthical Considerations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study was approved by Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee (MHREC), with a study protocol number \u003cb\u003eMHREC 2469\u003c/b\u003e. We chose MHREC because Makerere University utilizes Mulago Hospital as a teaching hospital, where a significant portion of our research activities takes place. In line with this arrangement, we leverage both Mulago Hospital's IRB and Makerere University's IRB for our research initiatives. This approach ensures comprehensive ethical oversight and compliance with regulatory standards, given the dual role of Mulago Hospital as both a clinical facility and an educational institution. We obtained informed consent from each participant before answering the questionnaire. Being an online study, we ensured this by providing a consent statement at the end of the introductory page. Two responses were received, one accepting to participate and the other declining. Those who tapped on the option for declining could just stop on that introductory page, while those who tapped on the accept button could then proceed to the next sections of the questionnaire to start answering. Personal identifiers like names, registration numbers, or student numbers were not captured on the questionnaire\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eto ensure anonymity. This study was conducted following the principles outlined in the Declaration of \u003cem\u003eHelsinki\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eWe enrolled 361 participants in this study, translating into a 97.6% response rate. Out of the 361 participants, 217 (60.1%) were male, and the mean age was 24.2 (standard deviation 3.8) years. The majority of participants, 215 (59.6%), were students enrolled in Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB), as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCharacteristics of participants enrolled in this study\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency (n)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSex\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e217\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e60.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e144\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReligion\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnglican\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e107\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRoman Catholic\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e104\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBorn again\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e101\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoslem\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOthers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUniversity\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBusitema\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMakerere\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMUST\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e47\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLira\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKIU\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKabale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e34\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eUCU\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGulu\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIUIU\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoroti\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCourse\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMBChB\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e215\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e59.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBNUR\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e68\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOthers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBPHARM\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBDS\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eYear of study\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e131\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e73\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eKnowledge about the use of Virtual Reality\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eOf the 361 participants in this study, 316 (87.5%) had prior knowledge of Virtual Reality. Of these, 156 (50%) had obtained this knowledge through social media, and only 56 (18%) had acquired this knowledge through class settings \u003cem\u003e(\u003c/em\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e)\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKnowledge about the use of VR among medical students\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEver heard of Virtual Reality?\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e316\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e87.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSource of information about Virtual Reality (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;316)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSocial media\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e156\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFriends\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e66\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eClass\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConference\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWebsites\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMovies/video games\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVideo games\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEver been introduced to Virtual Reality?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e250\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e69.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e111\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHave you ever used Virtual Reality?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e224\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e62.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e136\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMode of use of Virtual Reality\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOfficial academic training\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e54.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOutside my official academic training\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e57\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGaming\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticipated in a surgical procedure at a remote location\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs Virtual Reality the same as Simulation?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e195\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e62.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e119\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSimulation replicates real-world medical scenarios\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e199\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e63.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e115\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA third of the participants had been introduced to the concept of Virtual reality in a formal setting, and 136 (37.8%) had used a VR modality before this survey. Of those who had used VR, about half had used it in official academic training.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePerceptions about the use of VR as a medical training modality\u003c/b\u003e`\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlthough very few participants in this study had opportunities to be introduced to the use of VR as a training modality in Medical Education (ME), the majority, 306 (85%), believed it would be an important upgrade in modern medicine if introduced as a teaching tool. Up to 157 (43%), and 134 (37%), believed VR could be a better learning model for anatomy and surgical skills, respectively \u003cem\u003e(Fig.\u0026nbsp;1)\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAcceptability\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA great majority, 338 (94%) of participants, would be open to using VR if trained to do so, and 319 (89%) would recommend their adoption in medical training and healthcare \u003cem\u003e(Fig.\u0026nbsp;2)\u003c/em\u003e. Participants who had prior knowledge (regardless of their source) were likely to accept the use of VR as a learning model (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Likewise, participants who had been formally introduced (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.032) to the concept of VR were likely to accept it as a learning model.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected the Ugandan Education system, with the national lockdown putting over 15\u0026nbsp;million children out of school. This worsened the already existing inequities in access to Education at different levels [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]. In response to this, the National Council for Higher Education of Uganda (NCHE) approved the use of the emergency Open Delivery e-learning (ODeL) platform by institutions of Higher learning [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. The adoption of these technologies was important, especially in medical training, where students were at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 from patients. This, however, was not without its challenges, such as internet connectivity and lack of technology, knowledge, and skills [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. Noteworthy, the technologies adopted did not account for the special nature of medical training, which requires hands-on skills training where VR plays a role. During the pandemic, VR was used to successfully train frontline workers on handling COVID-19 cases through different simulated bedside scenarios, with more than 90% of the respondents reporting it was good training and recommended it to other colleagues [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this study, more than two-thirds (87.5%) of study participants demonstrated knowledge of virtual reality, and half of these had obtained information about VR from social media. However, a few (18%) study participants had obtained information about VR in a class setting. These results indicate a deficiency of VR teaching sessions in the different Ugandan medical school curricula. Evidence has shown that lack of knowledge and awareness has been noted as a barrier to using VR technology in medical education and treatment [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. Our study showed that 62.2% of participants had never used VR during their medical training. The absence of VR training curricula and VR gadgets among medical training institutions could have predisposed many students to not using VR. These findings provide baseline information on VR utilization among institutions in low-income countries like Uganda. Furthermore, these results highlight the importance of VR as an alternative teaching tool for medical students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAbout half of the study participants perceived that VR could effectively teach anatomy and other surgical skills. The perception obtained in this study is comparably lower than that obtained from another study in the USA by Kolla et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e] to evaluate medical students' perceptions regarding VR inclusion in medical training. Over 80% of their study participants perceived VR as a relevant and very useful tool for understanding different anatomy and dissection skills. Another study by Zhao and others [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e] demonstrated that VR is an important learning platform that would improve learners' knowledge of anatomy. Another study demonstrated that over 85% of participants considered VR a training tool in different medical aspects [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. Similarly, in South Africa and Nigeria, study reports indicated a positive attitude towards VR among their participants. Notably, they expressed concern about a lack of infrastructure, finance, and required VR skills [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. It is not surprising that such studies yield similar results, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with limited financial resources, civil wars, and poor governance. In contrast to our study, we did not examine the factors that impede VR adoption in higher education institutions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe also report that most students demonstrated a lack of trust among health workers who solely use VR during their training. The absence of trust could be due to the absence of VR training modalities in the different local medical institutions and poor classroom knowledge translation concerning VR. This may imply that despite the everyday advancements in medical education technology, traditional learning by physical class attendance by students is still perceived as crucial and considered a more effective and trusted learning modality, with other long-distance learning modalities better incorporated as supplements to it, not as the sole teaching method, especially for teaching hands-on skills. Nevertheless, 85% of the respondents believed that VR is an important upgrade to medical training and can improve skill acquisition among medical students. This finding could, in part, be accounted for by the increased exposure to digital learning technologies for distance learning during and in the post-pandemic era in Uganda and the rampant social media utilization [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR31\" citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOur study further reports that the majority of participants were willing to utilize virtual reality in their training, and they believed that it would offer better outcomes concerning surgical skilling, with close to 90% of them recommending its adoption in medical training. Besides, they believed adopting virtual reality training in healthcare was necessary to improve knowledge and precision acquisition. These results align with those reported by Sattar and colleagues in Pakistan, which reported that most students were highly motivated to utilize virtual reality during training [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e], as in other studies [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, students with prior VR knowledge were more likely to accept virtual reality as a learning model. In addition, being formally introduced to virtual reality was also associated with VR acceptability. Literature has demonstrated that different medical students easily pick up interest in using VR in training because of its interactiveness, usefulness, and ease of use [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e]. Emphasizing the different benefits of virtual reality during various classroom sessions can further enhance the acceptability of VR among medical students who have not yet been introduced to this teaching modality in different medical institutions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStudy Implications\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWith most students obtaining information about VR from social media and a few from classroom settings, creating streamlined VR awareness channels for informing medical students, such as working groups, could enhance their interest and acceptability during their training. The study demonstrated a high willingness of medical students to adopt VR training modalities to acquire more medical and surgical skills. Therefore, adopting the different VR training modalities in low- and middle-income countries may significantly improve learning and skill acquisition in institutions in these countries. Additionally, these findings would allow extensive incorporation of technology in the learning environments across the different medical institutions in the country, which can enhance the quality of the trained medical students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile exploring the motivation to utilize VR, the study did not employ any motivation score, which could have predisposed to obtaining biased responses. However, since this is among the first studies to explore VR among medical students and medical institutions in Uganda, it offers baseline information that could be used to conduct substantial studies involving these motivation scores. Furthermore, the study did not evaluate the enjoyment and satisfaction of the medical students while utilizing VR modalities. However, this wasn't feasible, especially given that the majority had not utilized the VR during their training. However, it is a foundation for further research concerning VR utilization among medical students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eRecommendations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe recommend that virtual reality sessions be included in the different medical curricula, especially among clinical students, to enhance their interaction and acquisition of various medical and surgical skills. Additionally, we recommend developing training models that explore how VR can be leveraged to improve the training of medical students. We further recommend that further research be conducted concerning the applicability of VR in different surgical fields, such as urology, anatomy, and laparotomy, among others. The results from these investigations will offer detailed information concerning the applicability of the VR training modality, especially in a low-income setting such as Uganda.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eVR remains a critical training modality with significant improvements in skills and knowledge translation among medical students, especially in this era of technological advancement. The knowledge, acceptability, and perceptions of VR utilization among medical students depend on different factors, such as exposure, the availability of training curricula in medical institutions, and the presence of these VR gadgets. In this study, despite the participants' high awareness and positive attitude towards VR, less than one-third have used it in their academic settings.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWith students' higher willingness to adopt VR teaching modalities, integrating them into training institutions can promote better training outcomes. For low-income countries, Uganda included, VR provides an alternative training modality and skilling for different medical students, which can improve the overall healthcare training. Furthermore, integrating VR training sessions into different training curricula can help low-income countries such as Uganda meet the Sustainable Development Goal 3 target of good health, which includes sustainable medical technologies by 2030.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no conflict of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo funding was obtained for this project.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGW, NS, and IE conceptualized the study topic and identified the research gap\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePM, IA, BK, RN, AA, and PA Coordinated the initial proposal development and data collection process\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBRK and MRN coordinated the data analysis process.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGW, IA, IE, PM, and BK developed the first manuscript draft.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDB, PM, and FB reviewed the initial manuscript draft\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDB, VK, and FK reviewed the final manuscript draft\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe would like to express our sincerest gratitude to the following research assistants for the role they played in coordinating the data collection alongside the different co-authors in the different universities: Francis Ssengoba, Evas Muhumuza, Joseph Labalpiny, Grant Kijana, Carol Ashaba, David Tenywa, Shillah Ankunda, and Florence Bonabana. Thank you so much. Your efforts were invaluable to the success of this project.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Abbreviations","content":"\u003cp\u003eVR \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Virtual Reality\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHCW \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Health Care Worker\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eME \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Medical Education\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSD \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Standard Deviation\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMHREC \u0026nbsp; Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIQR \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Interquartile Range\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCDC \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMAK \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Makerere University\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMUST \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Mbarara University of Science and Technology\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKIU \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Kampala International University\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKU \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Kabale University\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBU \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Busitema University\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIUIU \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Islamic University in Uganda\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSU \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Soroti University\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUCU \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Uganda Christian University\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLU \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Lira University\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHPS \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Health Professional Students\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePTSD \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Post Traumatic Stress Disorder\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical approval and consent to participants\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was approved by the Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee (MHREC), with a study protocol number MHREC 2469. We obtained informed consent from each participant before answering the questionnaire. Being an online study, we ensured this by providing a consent statement at the end of the introductory page. Two responses were received, one accepting to participate and the other declining. Those who tapped on the option for declining could just stop on that introductory page, while those who tapped on the accept button could then proceed to the next sections of the questionnaire to start answering. Personal identifiers like names, registration numbers, or student numbers were not captured on the questionnaire to ensure anonymity. This study was conducted following the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClinical Trial Number:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study does not involve a clinical trial. Therefore, a clinical trial number is not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll participants provided informed consent for their data to be used in this study and for the results to be published. Consent was obtained through an online consent statement presented at the beginning of the questionnaire. Participants were required to indicate their agreement to participate and allow the use of their data for publication purposes by selecting the appropriate option before proceeding with the questionnaire. The study protocol ensured that participants understood their rights, including the voluntary nature of their participation and their right to withdraw at any time without penalty. Personal identifiers were not collected to maintain anonymity and confidentiality. This process complies with the ethical standards set by the Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee and the Declaration of Helsinki.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to privacy and ethical restrictions but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. All data were collected in compliance with the ethical guidelines approved by the Mulago Hospital Research and Ethics Committee (MHREC). Requests for access to the data should be directed to the corresponding author and will be subject to review to ensure compliance with ethical standards and participant confidentiality.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBryson S. \u003cem\u003eVirtual reality: A definition history-a personal essay.\u003c/em\u003e arXiv preprint arXiv:1312.4322, 2013.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLatta JN, Oberg DJ. A conceptual virtual reality model. IEEE Comput Graph Appl. 1994;14(1):23\u0026ndash;9.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGuttentag DA. Virtual reality: Applications and implications for tourism. Tour Manag. 2010;31(5):637\u0026ndash;51.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePortman ME, Natapov A, Fisher-Gewirtzman D. \u003cem\u003eTo go where no man has gone before: Virtual reality in architecture, landscape architecture and environmental planning.\u003c/em\u003e Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 2015. 54: pp. 376\u0026ndash;384.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFertleman C, et al. A discussion of virtual reality as a new tool for training healthcare professionals. Front public health. 2018;6:44.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePourazar M, et al. Use of virtual reality intervention to improve reaction time in children with cerebral palsy: A randomized controlled trial. Dev neurorehabilitation. 2018;21(8):515\u0026ndash;20.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDe Luca R, et al. 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Online learning during COVID19 and beyond: a human right based approach to internet access in Africa. Int Rev Law Computers Technol. 2022;36(1):68\u0026ndash;90.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTwinamasiko N, et al. Drivers affecting the acceptance and use of electronic learning among Ugandan university students in the COVID-19 era: A cross-sectional survey among three universities. SAGE Open. 2021;11(3):21582440211029922.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBotha BS, de Wet L, Botma Y. Undergraduate nursing student experiences in using immersive virtual reality to manage a patient with a foreign object in the right lung. Clin Simul Nurs. 2021;56:76\u0026ndash;83.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWong JM, et al. # 35838 Beginning of something new\u0026ndash;international collaboration teaching ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia (UGRA) via virtual reality (VR). BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; 2023.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMcGivern G, et al. Deconcentrating regulation in low-and middle-income country health systems: a proposed ambidextrous solution to problems with professional regulation for doctors and nurses in Kenya and Uganda. Volume 22. Human Resources for Health; 2024. p. 13. 1.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOkello TR, et al. Student self-assessment after Essential Surgical Skills training for final-year medical students at Gulu University, northern Uganda. East Cent Afr J Surg. 2018;23(1):18\u0026ndash;21.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMonicah KR. Preparedness of institutions of higher learning for emergency education in COVID-19 pandemic: a case of Uganda. Educ J. 2022;11:231\u0026ndash;4.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOlum R, et al. Medical education and E-learning during COVID-19 pandemic: awareness, attitudes, preferences, and barriers among undergraduate medicine and nursing students at Makerere University, Uganda. J Med Educ Curric Dev. 2020;7:2382120520973212.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBuyego P, et al. Feasibility of virtual reality based training for optimising COVID-19 case handling in Uganda. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):274.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBaniasadi T, Ayyoubzadeh SM, Mohammadzadeh N. Challenges and practical considerations in applying virtual reality in medical education and treatment. Oman Med J. 2020;35(3):e125.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKolla S, et al. Medical student perception of a virtual reality training module for anatomy education. Med Sci Educ. 2020;30:1201\u0026ndash;10.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eZhao G et al. The comparison of teaching efficiency between virtual reality and traditional education in medical education: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals translational Med, 2021. 9(3).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDe Ponti R, et al. Pre-graduation medical training including virtual reality during COVID-19 pandemic: a report on students\u0026rsquo; perception. BMC Med Educ. 2020;20:1\u0026ndash;7.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNubi OJ, Vincent OR. \u003cem\u003eVirtual reality: a pedagogical model for simulation based learning\u003c/em\u003e. in \u003cem\u003e2020 International Conference in Mathematics, Computer Engineering and Computer Science (ICMCECS)\u003c/em\u003e. 2020. IEEE.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSolomon Z et al. \u003cem\u003eLecturers\u0026rsquo; perceptions of virtual reality as a teaching and learning platform\u003c/em\u003e. in \u003cem\u003eICT Education: 47th Annual Conference of the Southern African Computer Lecturers' Association, SACLA\u003c/em\u003e 2018, Gordon's Bay, South Africa, June 18\u0026ndash;20, 2018, Revised Selected Papers 47. 2019. Springer.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAli G, Buruga BA, Habibu T. Swot analysis of blended learning in public universities of uganda: a case study of muni university. J. 2019;2(4):410\u0026ndash;29.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOuma R. Beyond carrots and sticks of on-line learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case of Uganda Martyrs University. Cogent Educ. 2021;8(1):1974326.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWanami S, Kintu D. \u003cem\u003eStudents \u0026lsquo;perceptions about a distance learning programme: A case of the open, distance and E-learning programme at Kyambogo University, Uganda.\u003c/em\u003e 2019.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSattar M, et al. Motivating medical students using virtual reality based education. Int J Emerg Technol Learn (iJET). 2020;15(2):160\u0026ndash;74.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGomes N et al. \u003cem\u003eThe effects of virtual reality learning environments on improving the retention, comprehension, and motivation of medical school students\u003c/em\u003e. in \u003cem\u003eHuman Interaction and Emerging Technologies: Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies (IHIET\u003c/em\u003e 2019), August 22\u0026ndash;24, 2019, Nice, France. 2020. Springer.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHuang H-M, Liaw S-S. An analysis of learners\u0026rsquo; intentions toward virtual reality learning based on constructivist and technology acceptance approaches. Int Rev Res Open Distrib Learn, 2018. 19(1).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBartlett J, et al. Virtual Reality Simulator Use Stimulates Medical Students\u0026rsquo; Interest in Orthopaedic Surgery. Volume 3. Arthroscopy; 2021. pp. e1343\u0026ndash;8. 5Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Simulation, Virtual reality, Students, Health, Learning, Uganda","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4811279/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4811279/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eVirtual reality (VR), a simulation modality for skills acquisition, has been used as a teaching alternative in several professions globally with reportedly excellent practical experience. This makes it one of the few potential solutions for the daily increasing overcrowding in most training classes, including those of medical schools. However, scant data exists on the perceptions of Health Professions Students (HPS), one of the most likely suitable VR users to be once this teaching modality is officially adopted. We aimed to find out Ugandan HPS's perspective on using VR as a teaching tool.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe conducted a cross-sectional study among undergraduate health professions students (HPS) aged 18 years and above across ten Ugandan Medical schools. The data was collected through an online survey and analyzed using STATA version 16.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall, 361 HPS, with a mean age of 24.2 (standard deviation, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.8) years, and a male preponderance (217, 60.1%) participated in this study. A majority (215, 59.6%) were students for Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB). Three-hundred and sixteen (87.5%) participants had prior knowledge of VR. Of these, only 56(18%) had acquired this knowledge through class settings, and 136 (37.8%) had used a VR modality before this survey. Of these 136, Seventy-five (54.4%) had used VR in official academic training. A majority (306, 85%) of participants believed that VR would be an important upgrade in modern medicine if introduced as a teaching tool, would be open to using VR if trained to do so (338,94%), and would recommend their adoption in medical training and healthcare (319, 89%). Participants who had prior VR knowledge (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and those who had been formally introduced to the concept of VR (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.032) were likely to accept VR as a learning model.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite the participants' high awareness and positive attitude towards VR, less than one-third have used it in their academic settings. The gradual incorporation of VR in the existing teaching modalities by Ugandan medical schools could create better learning environments and skill acquisition for HPS to produce more competent healthcare professionals.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Perspectives of health professions students on using virtual reality as a teaching tool: a cross-sectional study in 10 Ugandan Medical schools","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-09-08 18:59:45","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4811279/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"6ebbc18e-6a07-49d7-a18a-6a1e706f16f3","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 8th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-11-28T15:53:51+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2024-09-08 18:59:45","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-4811279","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-4811279","identity":"rs-4811279","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}