How XR Will Transform Medical Training

How medical visualization tools enhance learning by reducing cognitive load

Immersive learning technologies are proliferating fast and also growing in popularity, being used not only for entertainment but also in a variety of professional applications.

Some of the most exciting applications of immersive technology have come in the form of training applications, and the medical sector has been fast to embrace this innovation, recognizing their great potential to improve the quality and quantity of training epochs, reduce training costs and to enhance patient satisfaction. A win-win-win.

Broadly speaking, these technologies come in two forms: Augmented Reality (AR) — in which digital information is overlaid onto the learner’s field of view — and Virtual Reality (VR) in which the learner is immersed in a completely new environment.

In a previous post I discussed the implications of xR for broad-based medical training. In this article, I will focus on the problems surrounding medical visualization. Namely, how do learners best understand and mentally represent complex systems like the brain or the human body? I offer a psychological and brain science perspective and argue that immersive learning tools provide superior capabilities because they reduce the cognitive load on the learner, and more accurately represent these systems as they truly are. If done correctly, this will significantly enhance learning.

Let’s look at the challenges medical students face when learning about the anatomy and physiology of the human body. The human body is a 3-dimensional structure that functions as a dynamic system. The ultimate goal of all medical visualization training is to facilitate the formation of a 3D dynamic mental representation of the human body in the learner’s brain that perfectly mimics the actual form. The best way to achieve this goal is to present the learner with a 3D dynamic visualization tool that perfectly mimics the human form. Unfortunately, most traditional medical visualization tools are textbooks or slide shows that are filled with 2D static images. Thus, the learner must convert a series of 2D static images into a 3D dynamic mental representation in the brain that accurately reflects the human form.