Virtual reality in ophthalmology training.
Current training models are limited by an unstructured curriculum, financial costs, human costs, and time constraints. With the newly mandated resident surgical competency, training programs are struggling to find viable methods of assessing and documenting the surgical skills of trainees. Virtual-reality technologies have been used for decades in flight simulation to train and assess competency, and there has been a recent push in surgical specialties to incorporate virtual-reality simulation into residency programs. These efforts have culminated in an FDA-approved carotid stenting simulator. What role virtual reality will play in the evolution of ophthalmology surgical curriculum is uncertain. The current apprentice system has served the art of surgery for over 100 years, and we foresee virtual reality working synergistically with our current curriculum modalities to streamline and enhance the resident's learning experience.
Khalifa
Yousuf M
YM
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, 30912, USA. ykhalifa@mcg.edu
Bogorad
David
D
Gibson
Vincent
V
Peifer
John
J
Nussbaum
Julian
J
D003198:Computer Simulation; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000193:education*; D014584:User-Computer Interface