Effectiveness of virtual reality on medical students' academic achievement in anatomy: systematic review

Abstract

IntroductionVirtual reality (VR) technology presents a promising alternative to medical education by creating an immersive and interactive learning environment. This research aimed to examine the effectiveness of virtual reality on medical students' academic achievement in anatomy.MethodsThis systematic review included 24 full-text articles in both Persian and English from 10 databases. The search focused on experimental, quasi-experimental, and descriptive studies published between May 28, 2000, and May 24, 2022. At least two researchers reviewed all studies. In cases of disagreement between the two, a third researcher reviewed the article and made the final decision. Results were analyzed according to the four-level Kirkpatrick model. Also, the modified Buckley checklist was used to assess the quality of the study.ResultsTwenty-four articles were included. Following Kirkpatrick's levels of evaluation, Nineteen studies explored the first level of training effectiveness (reaction). Twenty-four studies examined the second level (learning). One study investigated the efficacy of education (behavior). No studies have investigated the fourth level (impact).DiscussionThis study argues that Virtual reality improves students' academic progress and learning in medical anatomy when used as a supplementary way to other methods. However, experimental studies are recommended to investigate the impact of various factors on the efficacy of this method.