The Application Progress Of Virtual Reality Technology In Clinical Skills Training

A reduction in training hours has been requested by the European Working Time Directive(EWTD)across Europe and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education(ACGME).The real and immediate consequence of these policies was a continuous reduction in hands-on experience and independent surgical experience for trainees.Furthermore,as the surgical techniques have advanced and evolved,sole observation was no longer enough for acquiring certain skills and special techniques.In these circumstances,Virtual Reality(VR)training has become an essential prerequisite for junior doctors before they are allowed to actively participate in real operations.Compared with traditional teaching method,VR simulations are more realistic due to very intuitive anatomic structures exhibited in the 3D graphics.Trainees can interact with all the anatomical structures.Changes that occur following each surgical step are very much the same as in reality.Whole performance can be recorded,compared and analyzed,making data permanently available for trainees.Virtual Reality technology is a comprehensive application combinedwith multimedia technology and simulation technology to generate immersive feelings and experiences.It has the characteristics of immersion,interaction and conception.VR technology has become a research hotspot in medical field,because its unique characteristics and its close integration with modern medicine.Therefore,we make a review of the characteristics and the application progress of virtual reality technology in clinical skills training for providing a basis for further research on clinical skill training.