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Medical Students in the Metaverse
Figure 3, Georgallides, G. (n.d.). Metaverse: The Next Healthcare Frontier? Basis Blog. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.basishealth.io/blog/metaverse-the-next-healthcare-frontierAlana Gonzalez
Medical Students In The Metaverse
Abstract and Keywords
This article is an examination of the future of medicine in the metaverse. This paper will discuss the ways medical students should be expected to learn once the metaverse is used for educational purposes. The goal is to introduce and explore this new way of learning, that will help relieve med students of the constant pressure they experience daily. Medical students will no longer have to endure such stressful tasks. Medical students are expected to be able to push through these stressful four years, especially if they want to finish with a degree. But I don't see why we can't start making medical school a little more fun, and bearable. While discussing the new and innovative forms of learning, we will also discover ways the metaverse will overall change the game for healthcare workers.
Keywords: education, medical, medicine, metaverse, students
Introduction
The world we live in today functions mainly on the support of technology. It has become a necessity to complete nearly anything in life. Over the years we’ve become reliant, or dependent on it. We’ve become so dependent on technology that some people can't bear to function without it. It’s a concept that is forever evolving, and recently we’ve been introduced to a new form of technology: the metaverse. The metaverse is an extremely fascinating platform that will ultimately change the way we operate in multiple aspects of life. The prefix “meta” refers to transcending or going beyond the range or limits of something. This prefix does a great job of summarizing the meaning of this platform. The metaverse is an alternate universe, it's a world outside of the one we currently live in. It’s an amalgamation of virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality. Within these realities, you’re able to create an avatar, or digital twin, and experience a new way of living.
A perfect example of the metaverse would be the gaming platform, Fortnite. In this platform, you live vicariously through your avatar and accomplish missions along the way, leading up to the main mission: to remain the last one standing on the island. Only the difference is, the metaverse is weirdly adjacent to our actual reality. It tricks our minds into believing that we are experiencing whatever we are visualizing, typically through an oculus. The figure below is an example of how we will be expected to interact with the metaverse.
The man in the figure above seems to be completely captivated by whatever he's viewing through his oculus. This VR screen has convinced him that he is in front of a screen, where he's able to press different controls and view different things. In reality, he's simply touching the air. It's fascinating to know that this method of interaction will be introduced to us very soon!
If the metaverse is offering everything that we can do in the real world, what’s stopping us from making it our new normal? This changes the game for the way we will operate as humans. Will we start to perform basic tasks such as shopping, going to school, or even dating in the metaverse? It all seems to be possible in the near future. When I first learned about the metaverse I was instantly eager to learn about these new virtual environments and how they’ll be of use to us. My interest in medicine immediately shifted my focus towards healthcare in the metaverse. Specifically, what does this mean for medical students, and how they’ll be able to learn virtually before becoming a doctor? Technology seems to be limitless, and I can’t see why it would be of any harm to aspiring physicians. It already plays a huge role in healthcare, so I’m interested to see what the metaverse will offer that differs from what we already have. For the past two years, we were forced to adapt to living life in a pandemic. Therefore students all around the world had to become equipped to go to school online. We stared at screens all day and were expected to retain information that way. The metaverse proposes a whole new form of virtual learning.
Firstly, I want to talk about learning in medical school prior to the metaverse, before we dive into what’s to come. In medical school, you can expect to train in two parts: pre-clinical and clinical. Preclinical involves learning basic concepts of science such as medicine and anatomy. You can expect to be completely embedded in textbooks each week preparing for exams. You also learn about patient interactions, such as treatments and diagnostics. Clinical is when you interact with patients face to face, and learn basic instructions. During your residency, you are now practicing and learning in a hospital environment alongside other doctors, where you ultimately learn how to adapt and become a better physician. You are required to accomplish and conquer any obstacle that comes your way, to ensure that you will know exactly what to do when facing that problem again in the future. Healthcare is forever evolving, so as medical students and even as physicians, we must expect a lifelong journey of studying and perfecting our craft. Will the metaverse make our journey just a little bit easier? What exactly should we expect as a medical student in the metaverse?
Literature Review
Along with everything else in life, it's important to do your research before you can fully understand anything. I made sure to look up keywords such as medicine, metaverse, and medical students: the three m’s. In the first article, I found many interesting facts such as the metaverse’ many components will help in medical diagnostics, treatment, and prevention. (OurPlanet, 2021) Physicians are already using virtual reality to teach other doctors and medical staff. This means, whether or not you're already familiar with learning virtually, you'll have to learn how to eventually if you want to be in the medical field. In even the most basic operations, such as intravenous injections and blood draws, new technology like Accuvein’s skin-projected vein map may improve outcomes. This platform guarantees that everyone gets the most satisfactory healthcare training at any place and at any time. It also makes it possible for physicians all over the world to collaborate. Virtual medical education is already a thing and has been very successful thus far. The metaverse has had a hold on medical education this whole time, and we didn't even know it!
In other articles I found, they included examples of how the metaverse will only improve upon what's been done already. They specifically focus on telemedicine and Microsoft’s mixed reality in healthcare. (Coinyuppie, 2021) Telemedicine is the provision of medicine as a remote service. (Marr, 2022) For routine consultations that don't require physical interaction, physicians are finding it easier to diagnose minor illnesses through phone or video calls. VR makes it possible to do consultations from anywhere in the world. VR is already used by psychologists and psychiatrists in aversion therapy, where patients can interact with situations that cause them anxiety, in safe environments where every aspect of the interaction can be closely monitored and controlled. Medical students from all over the world will be able to tune in on these VR consultations and learn first-hand how to properly deal with patient interactions.
Although the concept may seem skeptical at first, the metaverse will offer med students to have a digital twin as well. A digital twin is a virtual model, and you can make your own avatar, along with patients out of this in the metaverse. Jack Altus believes that digital twins will eventually become “test dummies" for individuals that can be used to predict everything from how we will recover from surgery to the reactions we will have to specific medicines. These virtual dummies will give med students the opportunity to practice freely without the fear of putting an actual life in danger. Some researchers have even predicted that the metaverse may allow med students to enter a simulated body. This would allow them to experience and perform more hands-on procedures. This is also a huge advantage for doctors because it makes doctor visits easy and convenient. Some doctors are already taking advantage of its perks. (Cripps, 2022) For example, surgeons around the world are already practicing this to better prepare them for surgery. They're doing so in a virtual reality hospital environment, which is accessed through a headset. At first, treatments will be focused on counseling and physiotherapy services. Physiotherapy will make use of computer vision for example, using cameras to investigate the range of motion in damaged joints, as well as the progress that patients are making towards recovery. Latus says, "With VR and AR, we're able to give them much better feedback on their process.”
The figure above is a perfect representation of future virtual procedures. Medical students will be able to virtually transport themselves into an operating room. They will learn first hand how to perform multiple procedures. The best part of it all is the fact that medical students will not have to worry about putting an actual life in danger. They're able to practice freely, without the pressure and stress affecting their overall performance. Their peers will be able to observe and provide feedback just as they would do in an actual operating room.
As I mentioned before, the metaverse or meta-health will let patients create avatars to receive proper health care, like treatments and diagnostics. (Murtha, 2022) Medical schools also are using VR for surgical training. One of these schools is UConn Health, the University of Connecticut’s medical center. UConn Health uses Oculus technology to train orthopedic surgery residents by enabling them to perform 3D, virtual orthopedic surgeries, such as placing pins in broken bones. The residents have the freedom to make mistakes and correct them with feedback from superiors. The 3D technology is the product of a collaboration between Oculus and a Canadian medical software company called PrecisionOS. Access to 3D anatomical images significantly improved doctors’ surgical techniques. Another prime example would be The University of Miami. They offer countless ways to learn in VR, "medical students, for example, can learn how to administer anesthesia in a simulated operating room." (Drozdowski, 2022)
The metaverse has shown improvements in healthcare so much so far. They're even beginning training in lung cancer surgery through the metaverse. Based on my research (Koo, 2021), med students participating in this wore a headpiece, sat in front of computers, created an avatar, and entered their virtual operating room. They sat and watched as surgeons demonstrated a step-by-step lung cancer surgery. Participants expressed that it looked and felt real, especially because they could view the operating room at 360 degrees, along with the surgeons and nurses virtually present. Not to mention, VR has already been shown to improve patients with dementia. This is a huge deal for future medical students, the metaverse will pave the way for outstanding healthcare professionals.
The figure above is another representation of learning in the metaverse. No matter what type of medicine you want to study, the metaverse will provide you with a ton of resources. Specifically, the figure shows haptic glove technology. "This allows the user to experience the sense of touch in the virtual world." (Georgallides, n.d)
Methods
My methods for completing my research were rather simple. I started first with my knowledge of the topic. I knew that although the topic was still a new idea to me, whatever knowledge I did have would have a huge impact on the overall development of my paper. Keywords are extremely important when conducting research. As I mentioned before, some of the keywords I used were medicine, metaverse, and students. Those words alone helped me gather a numerous amount of information. It's very important to choose articles that are credible and trustworthy. I made sure to choose articles from a university, or anyone who plays a role in the medical field. I feel like those two types of people would have the most experience and knowledge on my topic. I knew that universities were already starting to adapt to using virtual reality, and I knew that the metaverse is already making its way into the medical field. After gathering my research, I created an annotated bibliography, which truly helped me shape my ideas and decide where I would input them into the final paper.
Limitations
The most obvious limitation on my research is the fact that medical students have not yet experienced learning in the metaverse. Therefore, any research I've gathered is all based on assumptions or their own research, but none of it is based off of one's personal experience. The metaverse is a fairly new topic to most people. Still till this day new research is being conducted until we've fully unraveled what the metaverse has to offer. I don't think that research will end anytime soon either, because the metaverse will offer us far more than we think. As far as the limitations on the metaverse itself, i think it may create weaker social connections. It's predicted to change our daily life and economy beyond the realm of games and entertainment. The metaverse has infinite potential as a new social communication space.
Discussion of Findings
The resources you choose to use will truly pave the way for the entirety of the paper. I tried to choose my articles, and researchers wisely. My resources told me that virtual medical education is already a thing, and has been very successful thus far. They've also given me examples of its success, such as physicians already using it for educational purposes. I’m also able to mention the different resources that become available to med students if they use this platform.
Although some of my resources don't necessarily tell me how med students will study in the metaverse, it gives examples of how the metaverse will be used in the medical field. This gives me the idea that it's been developing for quite some time now, meaning it’ll be very successful when the time comes. This just means that med students should prepare to learn how to use this platform because the majority of their work will be done virtually. They've included examples of what type of work med students can expect to be doing.
One of my researchers provided a school that’s already using this virtual learning. I was able to use that to demonstrate the work that's already being done. Such as Microsoft's involvement and their thoughts on the metaverse. "Recently, Dr. David Rhew, Chief Medical Officer of Microsoft, shared with you how Microsoft uses mixed reality to improve current and future healthcare issues. "Meet one, make one, teach one” is a famous saying by Dr. Willian Halstead in 1890. It specifically refers to the traditional clinical medicine students in the training process, students learn different types of surgery through each real patient, and increase their professionalism over time and countless surgical experience, and finally reach the top level, and then these reach the top of the pyramid. Experts then share their experience with the next generation of doctors." (Coinyuppie, 2021)
He then goes on to talk about how medical students also need face to face interactions to truly thrive. Years of experience doesn't count as much if not in person. For my audience, this can also be helpful for those looking to apply to med schools that are using these platforms in the present day.
Some resources also included the recent pandemic as an example. They included information about how the pandemic has made people more technically inclined, therefore making them more equipped and ready to take on a platform like the metaverse. This is important to know because it shows that med students won't have a problem adapting to this learning environment.
Implications For The Future
I hope that my research one day serves as a vital piece in other people's research. Since this topic is still so new, the research being conducted won't be done anytime soon. Researchers will be able to use my paper as a reference, or guide to a similar topic. Whoever is curious about the topic and wants to learn more, can learn a lot from what I've included. Most of all though, I hope my paper is appealing to those just like me: someone who is interested in studying medicine one day. I can honestly say that if I stumbled upon my research paper online, I'd be satisfied with the information included. I can only hope that my paper serves as an insight to someone who is wondering what their life as a medical student, in this technology-ruled world, will look like one day.
Conclusion
I began doing my research with one question in mind: how will the metaverse affect medical students and the way they learn how to become a doctor? After learning what I know, I realize that the metaverse is just another one of life's gifts. The metaverse allows med students to create a free space for learning and achieving, without having to endure as much pressure as current med students do. They get to witness and experience medical training from the comfort of their own homes. The operating room will be brought to them, essentially. The product of this new and innovative platform will be extremely knowledgeable and successful doctors, who we will be so lucky as to get treated by one day. I am now prepared to adopt these new methods when I get to medical school, and become the best doctor I can possibly be.
References
CoinYuppie. (2021, December 17). Metaverse is not a utopian healthcare field that has already benefited from it. CoinYuppie. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://coinyuppie.com/metaverse-is-not-a-utopian-healthcare-field-that-has-already-benefited-from-it/
Cripps, C. (2022, January 27). The future of healthcare in the metaverse. GMW3. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.gmw3.com/2022/01/the-future-of-healthcare-in-the-metaverse/amp/
Drozdowinski, M. (2022, March 15). Higher education in the metaverse: BestColleges. BestColleges.com. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.bestcolleges.com/news/analysis/2022/03/15/higher-education-in-the-metaverse/
Georgallides, G. (n.d.). Metaverse: The Next Healthcare Frontier? Basis Blog. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.basishealth.io/blog/metaverse-the-next-healthcare-frontier
Koo, H. (2021, December 31). Training in lung cancer surgery through the metaverse, including extended reality, in the smart operating room of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Korea. Journal of educational evaluation for health professions. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8810683/
Kye, B., Han, N., Kim, E., Park, Y., & Jo, S. (2021, December 13). Educational applications of metaverse: Possibilities and limitations. Journal of educational evaluation for health professions. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8737403/
Marr, B. (2022, February 25). The amazing possibilities of healthcare in the metaverse. Forbes. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2022/02/23/the-amazing-possibilities-of-healthcare-in-the-metaverse/?sh=25a7ee849e5c
Murtha, J. (2022, January 24). Is the metaverse the new frontier in medicine? Mdlinx. Retrieved March 23, 2022, from https://www.mdlinx.com/article/is-the-metaverse-the-new-frontier-in-medicine/4lN14X9eyCaeoOFEXWbQVo
Our PlanetArticles about the planet Earth and science. (2021, December 10). The role of metaverse in revolutionizing medical education. Our Planet. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://ourplnt.com/metaverse-medical-education/
Walsh, B. (2021, December 8). The Virtual Medical Student. Axios. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.axios.com/extended-reality-virtual-medical-education-10057950-0aac-4fa2-be9f-2aac1b9d7ac6.html
