Augmented Reality for Anatomy Training: Efficacy and Interest Among Medical Trainees.

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) technology has steadily advanced since its inception, resulting in serious discussion of its utility in various fields, including medical education and training. In an attempt to address these questions, we conducted a prospective study at a U.S. medical school using an AR-based anatomy education software. Medical students in their preclinical years were invited to participate in the prospective study. Participants completed a presurvey that characterized familiarity with and interest in AR. Volunteers then engaged with three modules within the AR-based anatomy education software. After finishing the modules, participants completed a postsurvey regarding their experiences with and perceptions about AR. This study identified that less than half of medical students surveyed felt familiar with AR technology and its potential role within medical education prior to study exposure. A statistically significant difference was demonstrated between students' perceptions toward the use of AR in medical education prior to guided use when compared to students' perceptions after study exposure (p < 0.001). Users' sentiments, as gauged by postsurvey free responses, were largely in favor of AR as a supplement to existing wet lab dissections rather than as an outright replacement. This study demonstrated a potential use case for AR technology in the supplementation of traditional medical education methods.