What is it about?
We investigated whether immersive virtual reality (VR) simulation better prepares diagnostic radiographers for clinical practice than traditional simulation methods. Our study involved 80 newly qualified radiographers from two universities. Forty received immersive VR training using X-Ray Pro VR Suite, developed by Virtual Medical Coaching, while the other 40 received traditional simulation training. We examined clinical preparedness after six months of professional practice, combining interviews and focus groups with supervisor evaluations and objective performance assessments. We found that VR-trained radiographers achieved significantly higher clinical preparedness scores (8.44 versus 6.57 out of 10). They also performed better in confidence, adaptability, technical proficiency and problem-solving, with higher supervisor evaluation scores (9.2 versus 7.4). Our findings suggest that immersive VR simulation can contribute to better preparation for clinical practice.
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Why is it important?
One of the challenges facing radiography education is ensuring that graduates can confidently apply their knowledge and technical skills in real clinical environments. Although simulation is widely used in healthcare education, evidence of its effectiveness should extend beyond student satisfaction and classroom performance. We wanted to establish whether the benefits of immersive VR training were evident after students transitioned into professional practice. Our findings demonstrated statistically significant improvements across multiple measures of clinical preparedness. Importantly, these improvements were supported by clinical supervisors and objective performance assessments, rather than relying exclusively on participants' perceptions. For radiography educators, universities and healthcare institutions, this research provides evidence supporting the integration of immersive VR simulation into diagnostic radiography education. Further research involving larger populations and additional institutions will help establish the generalisability and long-term effects of these findings.
Perspectives
Our motivation for undertaking this research was to investigate a question that is central to healthcare education: does the way we teach students influence how effectively they perform once they enter clinical practice? Immersive virtual reality has attracted considerable interest in radiography education, but much of the existing research has focused on student experiences, satisfaction and performance during training. We wanted to examine whether the benefits extended into the clinical workplace. What we found was particularly encouraging. Radiographers who had received immersive VR training demonstrated higher levels of preparedness, confidence, adaptability and technical proficiency after entering professional practice. The consistency between participants' experiences, supervisor evaluations and objective performance measures was an important aspect of our findings. We believe this research contributes to the growing evidence that immersive simulation can play a meaningful role in preparing healthcare professionals for clinical responsibilities. Nevertheless, we recognise the importance of further independent research, particularly larger multicentre studies and longer-term evaluations of clinical performance. Ultimately, our interest is in identifying educational approaches that help radiographers develop the knowledge, practical skills and clinical judgement required to provide safe and effective patient care.
Hossein Karimi
San Juan de Dios Hospital
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Comparing Clinical Preparedness of Newly Qualified Diagnostic Radiographers Trained With Immersive Virtual Reality vs. Traditional Simulation: A Mixed‐Methods Study, Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, May 2025, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1002/jmrs.882.
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