In a perfect world, everyone would learn a procedure by standing right beside the performing physician and observing. Medical education has searched for ways to provide this same experiential education to everyone—and now the solution has been found.
Beginning April 2019 with the Sclerotherapy Course in Chicago, IL, the American Vein & Lymphatic Society will bring virtual reality (VR) training to venous and lymphatic medicine through its partnership with Med360.
How virtual reality training works
In a live education course, VR labs allow you to watch a procedure in 3D, through a provided headset that puts you right next to the performing physician. With full 360-degree video of the operating room, you can look where you want, when you want.
A simple click changes the camera angle. You were once looking at the tools selected for the procedure, now you have a close up of the patient.
Move to a different spot in the room. You won't affect anyone else’s experience. Everyone can stand beside the performing physician and learn without obstruction.
Small speakers by the ears allow you to hear the audio clearly. This entirely immersive experience is only comparable to actually standing in the room.
What's next for virtual reality and venous and lymphatic medicine?
The next step will be having virtual reality education in the comfort of your home or office. While nothing beats gathering together with your peers to learn, it is not always feasible to take time away from work to travel. Virtual reality is about removing barriers to learning.
VR training gives you the ability to attend lectures and view live cases in a surgical center or clinic—without ever leaving your office or home.
As these courses develop, it will be possible to provide a “near-live” educational experience anytime, anywhere, without having to wait for a live session to be offered or taking time off from the office.
Interested in experiencing this new learning opportunity firsthand?
The first AVLS and Med360 VR lab is included in the Sclerotherapy Course in Chicago, IL on April 6, 2019.
Register today at www.phlebology.org/sclero.
