Trial reportBMC medical education2023
Can mixed reality technologies teach surgical skills better than traditional methods? A prospective randomised feasibility study.
Trial report in BMC medical education, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of extended reality in simulation-based ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia training: a systematic review.Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie · 2026Pooled it
- The effectiveness of augmented reality/mixed reality in medical education: a meta-analysis.BMC medical education · 2025Pooled it
- Mixed Reality in the Operating Room: A Systematic Review.Journal of medical systems · 2024Pooled it
- Virtual and augmented reality in biomedical engineering.Biomedical engineering online · 2023Pooled it
- Effects of multisensory tactile‑auditory integration teaching on systematic anatomy learning in visually impaired medical students.Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA · 2026Trial
- Feasibility and acceptability of a virtual learning module for navigating angry conversations in clinical encounters.BMC medical education · 2025Trial
- Reimagining pain procedural education through spatial education co-presence through recorded avatar (SPECTRA) lessons.Interventional pain medicine · 2026Article
- Benefit of mixed reality assistance on CT-based ear anatomy spatial recognition: a preliminary study.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Enhancing Medical Education: The Role of Artificial Intelligence Tools in the Teaching-Learning Process.Advances in medical education and practice · 2026Review
- Application of Mixed Reality Technology in Medical Student Education: A Scoping Review.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2025Review
- Effectiveness of surgical training in ophthalmology residency programs in Brazil.Arquivos brasileiros de oftalmologia · 2025Article
- Advancing Pediatric Surgery: The Use of HoloLens 2 for 3D Anatomical Reconstructions in Preoperative Planning.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Development and Educational Effectiveness of a Mixed Reality (MR) Program to Support Clinical Judgment in the Observation of Postoperative Patients.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Influence of applying VARK learning styles on enhancing teaching skills: application of learning theories.BMC medical education · 2024Article
- Extended Reality-Based Head-Mounted Displays for Surgical Education: A Ten-Year Systematic Review.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- HoloLensTherapeutic advances in urologyReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundBasic surgical skills teaching is often delivered with didactic audio-visual content, and new digital technologies may allow more engaging and effective ways of teaching to be developed. The Microsoft HoloLens 2 (HL2) is a multi-functional mixed reality headset. This prospective feasibility study sought to assess the device as a tool for enhancing technical surgical skills training.
methodsA prospective randomised feasibility study was conducted. 36 novice medical students were trained to perform a basic arteriotomy and closure using a synthetic model. Participants were randomised to receive a structured surgical skills tutorial via a bespoke mixed reality HL2 tutorial (n = 18), or via a standard video-based tutorial (n = 18). Proficiency scores were assessed by blinded examiners using a validated objective scoring system and participant feedback collected.
resultsThe HL2 group showed significantly greater improvement in overall technical proficiency compared to the video group (10.1 vs. 6.89, p = 0.0076), and a greater consistency in skill progression with a significantly narrower range of scores (SD 2.48 vs. 4.03, p = 0.026). Participant feedback showed the HL2 technology to be more interactive and engaging with minimal device related problems experienced.
conclusionsThis study has demonstrated that mixed reality technology may provide a higher quality educational experience, improved skill progression and greater consistency in learning when compared to traditional teaching methodologies for basic surgical skills. Further work is required to refine, translate, and evaluate the scalability and applicability of the technology across a broad range of skills-based disciplines.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.