Vladimirova T.Yu., Baryshevskaya L.A., Kurenkov A.V., Chaplygin S.S., Nazaryan A.K. Peculiarities of practical training of students using modern simulation technologies in otorhinolaryngology. Head and neck. Russian Journal. 2023;11(2):15–24
The authors are responsible for the originality of the data presented and the possibility of publishing illustrative material – tables, drawings, photographs of patients.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.25792/HN.2023.11.2.15-24

Medical education tends to be transformed by many factors, including the ever-changing health care environment, the new role of the physician, changing societal expectations, rapidly evolving medical science, and the emergence of a wide variety of pedagogical methods used in teaching. Changes in societal expectations put patient safety at the forefront and raise ethical concerns about teaching medical students. The modern approach to training students with simulation technologies, including virtual reality technology, provides a safe learning environment without risk to patients or volunteers. 

Purpose of the study. Comparison of the effectiveness of traditional teaching and teaching using virtual technologies. Material and methods. The study involved 220 students of the Institute of Pediatrics and the Institute of Clinical Medicine of the Samara State Medical University. The study was carried out at a practical lesson on the topic “Clinical Anatomy, Physiology and Research Methods of the Larynx, Trachea, Bronchi” on the basis of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology named after Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences I.B. Soldatov, as well as in a multi-profile accreditation and simulation center with the use of a simulator for intubation, tracheostomy, cricothyrotomy. The Tracheostomy-VR simulator was developed by the Institute of Innovative Development of the Samara State Medical University for training at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology. All students were divided into three groups, based on the teaching methods that have been used. During the practical lesson, they were given questionnaires to assess the practical skill of tracheostomy, as well as the degree of immersion in virtual reality. Based on the results of the questionnaire, a comparison was made between the groups. 

Results. The results of the questionnaires confirm the improvement in the performance of the tracheostomy practical skill by students of all groups. However, group 3 students, who used both traditional methods and virtual technologies, had a higher score (1.2± 0.3 points) compared with the students of group 1, in which only traditional teaching methods were used. The use of virtual reality made it possible to provide a realistic immersion in the conditions of the operating room. In addition, high immersion scores demonstrate that students had no technical problems with practicing these skills. 

Conclusion. Teaching students using virtual reality yields results not inferior to those of traditional teaching methods. This study confirms the possibility of using the Tracheostomy-VR simulator during practical lessons. The use of a VR solution that is innovative and interactive has proven to be useful for training students in surgical intervention at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology.
Key words: training, virtual reality, simulation, tracheostomy 

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